Item - 2013.HL19.4

In its 2012 report Modernizing Lottery and Gaming in Ontario: Strategic Business Review, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) stated its intention to establish a new casino gaming venue in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Two of the zones identified for potential casino sites include lands in the City of Toronto.

This is the second of two reports prepared by Toronto Public Health (TPH) in advance of City Council's deliberation on the matter that explores the issue from a public health perspective.  In November 2012, TPH reported to the Board of Health on research regarding the impact of a new casino on problem gambling in Toronto. Problem gambling is a significant public health concern because of the related health effects on the individual, family and community. These impacts were discussed in the technical report The Health Impacts of Gambling Expansion in Toronto and the Toronto Public Health Position Statement on Gambling and Health which was endorsed by the Board of Health (BOH) on November 19, 2012.

The current report responds to the BOH's request for additional information on the community health impacts of a casino. It includes assessment of potential employment, economic development, crime, social safety net and neighbourhood impacts. TPH took a Health Impact Assessment approach to better understand the broader health impacts of community change resulting from a new or expanded casino.

A new casino in Toronto could have important community impacts which affect the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities. Some of these health impacts are primarily positive (improve health), others, primarily negative (worsen health). A review of available evidence, largely from other jurisdictions, indicates that increased employment and income, if generated as expected, could have positive impacts on health, although shift work and irregular hours may cause negative health consequences to casino workers. On the other hand, increased motor vehicle traffic could increase injuries and air pollution related illness. The evidence is inconclusive concerning the potential impact of a new casino on crime and local economic development. As concluded in the previous report, increases in problem gambling are the most important health impacts of a new casino in Toronto.  With respect to all other potential impacts, the available evidence indicates that the introduction of a new casino is likely to have greater adverse health-related impacts than beneficial impacts.