Item - 2015.EX4.16

That City Council request the City Manager to include in his report to the June 30, 2015 meeting of the Executive Committee, a preliminary public transit strategy for the development of 555 Rexdale Boulevard (Woodbine Racetrack), including a cost/benefit analysis of extending the Finch LRT to the Rexdale community and to Pearson Airport.

That City Council request the Medical Officer of Health to report to the June 1, 2015 meeting of the Board of Health on any public health impacts of expanding gaming at Woodbine Racetrack.

That City Council request the Ontario and Lottery Gaming Corporation to provide the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health data related to gambling at Woodbine and its other casinos with the purpose of developing a better understanding of problem gambling in host communities.

That City Council direct the City Manager include in his report to the June 30, 2015 meeting of the Executive Committee how the expansion of gaming relates to horse racing at Woodbine Racetrack including:

a. a summary of the Province of Ontario's current policies and commitments to the horse racing industry as part of its gaming strategy

b. opportunities to improve and increase affordable housing for backstretch workers;

c.  opportunities for all gaming revenues on the Woodbine site to provide adequate and long term funding for the horse racing industry; and

d.  any plans for horse racing marketing and fan development under development by Woodbine Entertainment Group or the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.

That City Council amend Executive Committee Recommendation 1a by deleting the word "Etobicoke" and inserting the words "all four districts of the City of Toronto", so that it now reads as follows:

1. City Council authorize the City Manager to conduct a public consultation process to seek input from Torontonians on the matter of expanded gaming at 555 Rexdale Boulevard (Woodbine Racetrack); including:

That City Council adopt the following recommendation contained in the supplementary report (March 30, 2015) from the City Manager [EX4.16a]:

1.  City Council authorize the City Manager to allocate up to $75,000 from the City Manager's Office approved 2015 budget for the recovery of costs associated with retaining third party services in the delivery of the public consultation and analysis, as required, in preparation for the June 30, 2015 Executive Committee report.

Councillor Campbell, rising on a Point of Order, stated that the matter before Council is not about the merits of gambling or about problem gambling, it is a report request, and further stated that Members of Council should stay on topic.

Councillor Layton, rising on a Point of Privilege, stated that he objects to Councillor Mammoliti's remarks while he is speaking.

Councillor Mammoliti, rising on a Point of Privilege, stated that he was having a small conversation with the Mayor that had nothing to do with Councillor Layton's remarks, and that he had not spoken all day.

Councillor Karygiannis, rising on a Point of Order, stated that he needed clarification on whether someone can say who has been in the Chamber or not.

Councillor Mammoliti, rising on a Point of Privilege, stated that he objected to the Speaker's comment that he had not been present in the Chamber.

That new recommendations 1.e and 1.f be added as follows:

1.e  Any proposal exclude any expansion of slot machines, electronic gaming machines, or video lottery terminals.

1.f  Any proposal to include all recommendations from the Toronto Public Health position statement from November 2012. (See EX4.16.3)

That:

1.  Recommendation 2.e be amended to read as follows:

2.e. The identification of social and economic development objectives that the City may require as conditions for its approval of expanded gaming at Woodbine, to leverage any new development to benefit local Toronto residents and communities; including recommendations to encourage full time employment

2. Recommendation 2.c be amended to read as follows:

2.c. The potential economic impact (GDP and jobs) of expanded gaming at Woodbine Racetrack and the potential added economic impact of an expanded entertainment and retail destination, including:

- a breakdown of anticipated part-time and full-time employment in the proposed gaming facility as well as projected salaries based on data from comparable casinos in Canada and the United States.

3. Recommendation 2.f be amended to read as follows:

2.f. The potential additional social impact to individuals and families due to gambling-related addictive behaviour and crime, and options to mitigate the negative human and social impact and include information on funding for any major research used in this analysis.

That a new recommendation 2.j be added as follows:

2.j  Location data on current users of Woodbine slots and electronic gambling, including gambling losses, where available.

That recommendation 1.b be amended to read as follows:

1.b  An online questionnaire promoted on the City's website and via social media

That recommendation 2 be amended so that it read as follows:

2. Executive Committee request City Council direct the City Manager to prepare a report for the June 30th, 2015 meeting of Executive Committee, which would include an assessment of the technical planning requirements, and merits and potential risks of expanded gaming at 555 Rexdale Boulevard (Woodbine Racetrack); including:

a. The size and type of facility that would be suitable at the Woodbine location, including

- Total number of slot machines

- Total number of other gaming tables

b. Any required land use, infrastructure and other planning matters associated with expanded gaming at the Woodbine site;

c. The potential economic impact (GDP and jobs) of expanded gaming at Woodbine Racetrack and the potential added economic impact of an expanded entertainment and retail destination, and include estimations for:

- Gaming revenue

- Non-gaming revenue

- Total revenue

- Direct, indirect, and induced jobs (FTE)

- Average Annual Income (full-time employee)

- An economic analysis to determine per slot machine how much discretionary income each slot machine would remove from the economy on an annual basis

d. The potential risks to the current employment at the Woodbine Racetrack if a new casino were to be located within the GTA but outside of the City of Toronto;

e. The identification of social and economic development objectives that the City may require as conditions for its approval of expanded gaming at Woodbine, to leverage any new development to benefit local Toronto residents and communities;

f. The potential additional social impact to individuals and families due to gambling-related addictive behaviour and crime, and options to mitigate the negative human and social impact, as well as harm mitigation strategies to address negative social impacts, social procurement opportunities in the development and operation of a casino, and related facilities (ie convention centre, hotel etc.), City and community use of space agreements for appropriate uses (ie local arts, culture, etc), and measurement and monitoring systems to independently assess Social Contract implementation and effectiveness.
 

g. Any incremental costs associated with expanded gaming at Woodbine including police, fire and emergency medical services costs;

h. The amount of projected revenue to be received by the City as part of a Municipal Contribution Agreement with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation reflecting projected revenues at the new gaming site including:

- Total annual revenue to the City

- Average City share of estimated total gaming revenue

- Annual minimum revenue; and

i. The results of the public consultation, per Recommendation 1.

That recommendation 1.a be amended to read as follows:

1.a  A public meeting in each of the four Community Council areas.

That the City include in the consulting process the benefits identified in the Woodbine Live initiative.

That a new Recommendation 2.j be added as follows:

2.j  A framework for ensuring that a Labour Peace Agreement is in place for all aspects of the proposal and a local hiring and training requirement.

That the City Manager report directly to Council with additional information from Woodbine Entertainment Group's management or Board of Directors on expanded gaming at Woodbine Racetrack including but not limited to the size of the casino expansion, the number of additional slot machines, gaming tables and the type and size of entertainment complex that would best serve their needs.