The First Nation owners of Blue Heron Casino on Scugog Island, Ontario, say Premier Doug Ford broke his agreement to limit casinos in the region when he allowed the Durham Live casino to be built in Pickering.
Durham Live is expected to open this fall. It’s too close to the Blue Heron Casino say the Mississaugas of Scugog Island, whose casino is on Port Perry. The facilities are 43.2 kilometers (26.8 miles) apart.
Chief Kelly LaRocca declared, “The Pickering Casino Resort is yet another glaring example of Premier Ford’s willingness to tread over signed agreements for political end. This government has rewritten the Ontario gaming map to suit its own agenda.”
Provincial authorities authorized the Durham Live casino in 2018, breaking its agreement with the band, said LaRocca. “The Pickering mega-casino project would not have been possible without special regulatory orders from the Province,” she said. “The Ford government should respect and honor its signed agreements with Indigenous peoples.”
The casino project includes a five-star hotel, boutique hotel, convention center, amphitheater, dining, movie theaters, indoor water park, performance venues, offices and film studios.
