Around 160 people attended a recent HBPA BC live online meeting, which was hosted to keep BC’s horse racing community abreast of the latest developments in the fight to preserve our sport in the province.
Denise Praill, HBPA BC director and vice president (owners), was master of ceremonies in a lively and informative webcast session that covered a wide range of topics.
The meeting focused on the current state and future of horse racing in British Columbia following the province’s November 27th decision to end slot machine revenue allocation to the industry.
Denise presented an update on recent activities, including media coverage, letter-writing campaigns to MLAs, and ongoing negotiations with the City of Vancouver and Tsleil-Waututh Nation regarding the lease of Hastings Racecourse.
Last week BC horsepeople and representatives met with the Tsleil-Waututh Nation Leadership, which owns the casino, and on Jan. 16 met with with Niki Sharma, Attorney General/Minister and home MLA for Hastings Racecourse to request her advocacy and assistance in resolving funding issue.
The next steps proposed include the formation of new operating company and the HBPA is looking to create a no- profit Pacific Thoroughbred Racing Association, maintain government pressure before the announcement of budget on Feb. 17.
The best case scenarios laid out include securing a lease/MOU for Hastings that allows access to the track following FIFA World Cup (mid July 2026), establishing a non-profit operating company, secure at least 10 live dates with CPMA, triggering release of BC Racebook funds and ‘bring everyone home and run a short meeting September through early November.
The presentation outlined the industry’s efforts to secure racing dates, establish non-profit organizations, and explore alternative host communities, while emphasizing the need for continued pressure on the provincial government to reverse their decision. In addition, meeting also addressed concerns about backstretch access, breeder bonuses, and the importance of supporting BC Racebooks.
Participants expressed gratitude for the support from neighboring tracks and the broader racing community, and emphasized the collective commitment to securing the future of horse racing in BC.
Watch the slide show with current activities and planned solutions to bringing racing back to Hastings HERE.
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