Harness Racing BC (HRBC) and the Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of BC (HBPA) welcome the decision by the BC government to provide financial assistance to horse racing in British Columbia.
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth wrote to the HRBC and HBPA announcing a $3 million grant to be split evenly between the two organizations to “minimize the employment impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on horse racing workers.”
Kelly MacMillan, President of HRBC, expressed his thanks to the BC government, Minister Farnworth, and Mike Starchuk, the MLA in Surrey – Cloverdale, for their commitment to support Fraser Downs”. “This is the best possible news for horse racing overall,” said MacMillan. “Breeders, owners, trainers and all the backstretch workers whose jobs were impacted by COVID have been anxiously awaiting some good news. The BC government and all the MLAs we talked to listened, and they came through big time.”