The Shawanaga First Nation is leading a consortium of ten First Nations that want to build a casino, hotel and conference center at the Parry Sound, Ontario, waterfront. The plan is supported by the mayor of Parry Sound.
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Commission (OLG) has not yet been given a formal application for the group, but the tribe has leverage over the provincial government because Ministry of Transportation wants to put a four-lane highway through the tribe’s reserve.
So far OLG says that its current modernization project doesn’t include a place for such a casino.
However, Chief Wayne Pamajewon counters, ““The reason I thought (the development) would be easy to do is this,” he said in an interview with the Parry Sound. “Shawanaga is negotiating with the province of Ontario for a highway. I want people to understand – we aren’t giving our land away. If anybody in Ontario has property you don’t give it way, you get paid for it and we should be no different. So expropriation, to me, doesn’t exist on reserves now. One of the things I wanted to say is this: the First Nation here, Shawanaga, has control of its own lands now and do not have to ask the government of Canada how we will use our property for this.”
He added, “I don’t believe it’s fair. I think a political decision needs to be made. This area should get a casino.”
The land where the tribe wants to build is on vacant land that once held gasoline holding tanks. The chief notes that the town doesn’t have enough conference space. The other First Nations that would be involved are Beausoueil, Moose Deer Point, Wahta, Wasauksing, Magnetawan, Henvey Inlet, Wahnapitae, Dokis and Nipissing First Nations.
Mayor Jamie McGarvey told the Parry Sound North Star, “It means a tremendous amount of growth. What they’re proposing to do will certainly immensely enhance our waterfront. It will be a major draw on our waterfront and will attract new businesses to our community. There are already people looking at our community because they got wind of this. They’re almost lining up to piggyback on this development.”
He noted that the casino could generate 300 jobs for locals and help create new businesses, adding, “there’s a whole myriad of types of jobs that are going to go along with that.”
To host the casino, the town would need to upgrade services and infrastructure along roads leading to the waterfront. This would involve some negotiations with property owners who would like to be annexed into the town to receive water and sewer.
Cruise ships dock at the town several times a year, which could increase the possible market such a casino could serve, the mayor said. “A lot of that money is from Europe and the U. S.,” said McGarvey. “They’re going to spend money in the shops and stores, wandering through the community … to see the beauty of the area … we will become a four-seasons destination.” He added, “I think people need to realize people can gamble anywhere.”
The chief believes that his First Nation has something the province must have to build the highway. “Try to go around,” he said.
