As the mayoral campaign for Toronto, Ontario heats up, the subject of a casino proposed for the city by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has again become a political issue.
The issue died last year after the OLG’s proposed casino was voted down by Toronto City Council by an overwhelming 40-4 vote. However, incumbent Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and other mayoral candidates support placing the proposed casino before voters in a referendum in October.
Last week, Jim Diodati, mayor of Niagara Falls, Ontario, came out against a Toronto casino, saying the new competition would have “dire” consequences for Niagara Falls, which depends on revenue generated by the city’s two casinos, Casino Niagara and Fallsview Casino.
“It would result in the loss of upwards of 2,000 jobs, and we’ve already pointed this out to the province,” Diodati told Bullet News Niagara.
Diodati said the tourists that keep the Niagara casinos profitable come from other parts of Ontario, not the least of which is Toronto. Many of those patrons would gamble closer to home if a Toronto casino became a reality, he said, adding that Toronto officials and local residents have consistently rejected the idea.
“Niagara Falls is the only jurisdiction that has given a unanimous resolution welcoming (the casinos) into our community, and welcoming further expansion,” Diodati said.
