Fort Erie may be in trouble, again, but its dates could be added on to Woodbine, quarterhorse racing at Woodbine? Thoroughbreds at Ajax?
maybe a festival meet at Fort Erie, ship in to run?
In general, good news for horse racing today:
Kathleen Wynne
Grand River ON. October 11, 2013
“Building a Sustainable Future”
Premier Wynne arrived on a two-seated sulky, touring the Grand Rover Racetrack in Elora.
“I think it is important to support hard working people in the province,” said the Premier as she led off with her feelings on the importance of the horse racing industry in Ontario.
As reported, the plan is for $400 million of public money for horse racing over 5 years, about $80 million a year.
“I see that as an investment in the future, I believe it has the capacity that can deliver the product that today’s customers want. Of course, there needs to be changes:
**integrating with OLG modern plan is one of those changes,
OLG to play a role in growing fan base of racing,
**Ontario Racing Commission: ORC now in two divisions a regulatory division and development division including marketing.
Rod Seiling has retired as ORC chair and Elmer Buchanan is in.
“This is an inudsutry that has a long history in Ontario, tens of thousands of jobs that are part of the industry, they are jobs for the future too ” , said Wynne.
“The panel did not see a clear path forward for Fort Erie, they did make a proposal of having a festival ”
QUESTION FROM CROWD: “Any direct funding to breeders which are completely beleagured…?”
John Snobelen answered but only said that the $30 million for the horse improvement programs will stay intact, but what is lost, seems to be lost:
“There have been significant losses in breeding industry in Ontario, we have made a commitment to keep 30 million funding for horse improvement program.
we think the markeplace will have a correction in the years ahead.”
READ THE ENTIRE REPORT:
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/about/transition/finalreport10102013.htm
stay tuned for updates all day on THOROUGHBLOG..
WOODBINE MAY BECOME ONLY THOROUGHBRED TRACK IN ONTARIO
Premier Wynne to announce plan for horse racing this morning
TORONTO STAR has all the details first here:
By Mary Ormsby
The province will inject $400 million over five years into Ontario’s cash-strapped horse racing industry, with most of that going to purse money.
A new sustainability plan, which will invest up to $80 million annually beginning April 1 of next year, is based on recommendations made by the Horse Racing Industry Transition panel to Premier Kathleen Wynne, who is also the minister of agriculture and food. The “five-year partnership plan” runs through March 31, 2019.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/10/11/province_gives_horse_racing_industry_400m.html
SOME COMMENTS on the radio already this morning, this is going to be one contentious issue…
Christie Blatchford:
” I think this is a move in the right direction . Racetracks provide jobs, racing was doing okay until the casinos and more gambling came in and this is a good thing for an industry that empl0ys (thousands).”
Andrew Coyne:
“This is insanity, gambling is supposed to be the industry where house can’t help but make money. This is crazy public policy. What are we going to subsidize next, smoking?”
