Councillor Flagg requested a friendly amendment that the resolution be circulated to the race tracks that host standard bred races and the municipalites that those race tracks reside in, including: Clinton Raceway and the Municipality of Central Huron, Dresden Raceway and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Flamboro Downs and the Municipality of Hamilton, Georgian Downs and the Municipality of Barrie, Grand River Raceway and the Municipality of Centre Wellington, Hanover Raceway and the Municipality of Hanover, Hiawatha Horse Park and the Municipality of Sarnia, Kawartha Downs and the Municipality of Cavan Monaghen, Leamington Raceway and the Municipality of Leamington, The Raceway at Western Fair and the Municipality of London, and Rideau Carleton Raceway and the Municipality of Ottawa.
Councillor Dubanow and Councillor McDermott were agreeable.
Whereas the Fort Erie Race Track is one of only two thoroughbred horse racing facilities in the Province of Ontario, having been established in 1897 and operating continuously since then; and
Whereas in recent years, the Fort Erie Race Track has been the primary host facility for the "B" circuit of thoroughbred racing, while the Woodbine track in Toronto has been the primary facility for "A" circuit thoroughbred racing; and
Whereas both race tracks host "jewel" races in Ontario Triple Crown of Horse Racing; and
Whereas the Ontario Racing Commission, an agency created by the Government of Ontario, regulates horse racing; and
Whereas the provincial government has strategies and policies in place to develop and encourage the horse racing industry in Ontario, including funding and incentive programs to grow and expand the industry in the province; and
Whereas the Fort Erie and Woodbine Race Tracks are both beneficiaries of these programs; and
Whereas Woodbine Entertainment, the owners of the Woodbine track, adopted a stall policy in May 2017, referred to as "Race and Stay," that prevents horses from stabling at Woodbine if they leave to race at another track more than once, except for races with a purse of more than $20,000; and
Whereas The Municipal Council of the Town of Fort Erie passed a resolution on May 15, 2017, requesting that the Ontario Racing Commission immediately prohibit Woodbine Entertainment from implementing the Race and Stay program and limitations on the movement of horses between Woodbine and the Fort Erie Race Track; and
Whereas the Mayor and members of Fort Erie Council met with the Minister of Economic Development and Growth at the 2017 Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference to discuss the negative impacts of the Woodbine Race and Stay stall program on the Fort Erie Race Track; and
Whereas the Mayor and members of Fort Erie Council met virtually with officials with the Minister of Finance during the 2020 Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference to again discuss the Woodbine Race and Stay stall policy and the negative impacts it has on the Fort Erie Race track; and
Whereas the Mayor and members of Fort Erie Council met with the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance at the 2022 Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference to again discuss Woodbine's Race and Stay program and the negative impacts it continues to have on the Fort Erie Race Track; and
Whereas representatives of the Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium have launched a challenge with the Competition Bureau to determine whether Woodbine Entertainment's actions constitute an attempt to create an illegal monopoly; and
Whereas Woodbine's Race and Stay policy continues to remain in effect through the 2023 racing season; and
Whereas Woodbine's Race and Stay policy continues to have a devastating impact on the ability of the Fort Erie Race Track to operate successfully and grow Ontario horse racing under provincial objectives; and
Whereas the Fort Erie Race Track is a job creator in Fort Erie and the surrounding region, both directly and indirectly, and has contributed to the local economy as well as the history and culture of the area since 1897;
Now therefore be it resolved,
That: The Municipal Council of the Town of Fort Erie again requests that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario immediately prohibit Woodbine Entertainment from continuing the Race and Stay stall policy; and further
That: The Provincial Government put in place a long-term policy to encourage competition and diversification of horse racing in Ontario that would prevent any single race track from using their market position to create an unfair monopoly on horse racing in Ontario, including but not necessarily limited to implementing policies that would prohibit monopolistic policies like Woodbine's Race and Stay; and further
That: The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, Ontario Racing Commission and the Provincial Government recognize the contributions of the Fort Erie Race Track to the growth, history and culture of horse racing in the province of Ontario; and further
That: Staff deliver a copy of this resolution to Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, Peter Bethlenfalvy, Ontario Minister of Finance, Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Marit Styles, Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition in Ontario, John Fraser, Interim Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party, Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario, Wayne Gates, MPP for Niagara Falls, Jeff Burch, MPP Niagara Centre, Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and The Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium, and;
That: Staff circulate this resolution to the race tracks that host standard bred races and the municipalites that those race tracks reside in, including: Clinton Raceway and the Municipality of Central Huron, Dresden Raceway and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Flamboro Downs and the Municipality of Hamilton, Georgian Downs and the Municipality of Barrie, Grand River Raceway and the Municipality of Centre Wellington, Hanover Raceway and the Municipality of Hanover, Hiawatha Horse Park and the Municipality of Sarnia, Kawartha Downs and the Municipality of Cavan Monaghen, Leamington Raceway and the Municipality of Leamington, The Raceway at Western Fair and the Municipality of London, and Rideau Carleton Raceway and the Municipality of Ottawa, and;
That: Staff circulate this resolution to the Regional Council of Niagara and all local area municipalities within the Regional Municipality of Niagara for their endorsement and support.