Vancouver to consider loosening moratorium on gambling expansions
A long-standing freeze on the number of gambling tables and machines allowed in Vancouver could be relaxed on behalf of the Parq Casino and Hastings Racecourse.
A staff report going before city council next week recommends loosening a moratorium on new or expanded gambling venues that's been in place since 2011.
The recommendation was prompted by "recent interest" from the B.C. Lottery Corporation in bringing more betting capacity to the Parq and Racecourse, according to the report.
Under the existing moratorium, the city cannot accept an application from the BCLC for the expansions – but the staff report recommends an amendment that would allow such proposals to be explored before councillors ultimately decide whether to approve or reject them.
"This approach aims to ensure council decisions are informed by sufficient detail to assess the impacts of expanding gambling at existing facilities … while keeping other elements of the moratorium intact," the report reads.
Applications for new casinos or other gambling venues would still be prohibited.
The Parq and Hastings Racecourse are currently the only two gambling venues in Vancouver, and contributed about $7.2 million in combined revenue to the city in the 2022-23 fiscal year, most of which came from the casino.
There are currently 600 slot machines and 61 gambling tables at the Parq, plus another 446 slot machines at Hastings Racecourse.
The scope of the expansion sought by the BCLC "has yet to be confirmed," according to the report, but the Crown corporation expects a bump in revenue if the application is allowed and subsequently approved.
"BCLC has projected the host local government share of potential increased revenues to be in the range of $2.6 million to $5 million," the report reads.
Staff acknowledged "known health and safety concerns" associated with gambling addictions – and even casino operations themselves, "at times" – but said Vancouver Coastal Health and the Vancouver Police Department would advise on any applications to increase betting capacity in the city.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
Passenger killed, 30 injured as Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence
One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines SIAL.SI flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.
Conservatives kick off return to House with new call for Speaker Greg Fergus to resign
Pierre Poilievre's Conservatives returned to the House of Commons on Tuesday with a renewed call for Speaker Greg Fergus to resign, this time over 'very partisan' and 'inflammatory' language used to promote an upcoming event.
Trump campaign calls 'The Apprentice' 'blatantly false,' director offers to screen it for him
Donald Trump's reelection campaign called 'The Apprentice,' a film about the former U.S. president in the 1980s, 'pure fiction' and vowed legal action following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. But director Ali Abbasi is offering to privately screen the film for Trump.
Feels like mid-30s in parts of Canada, while other areas expecting snow
Anything is possible this week, as far as Canada's weather is concerned, with forecasts ranging from scorching heat in some parts of the country to rain and snow in others.
Nestle to sell $5 pizza, sandwiches in the U.S. for Wegovy, Ozempic users
Nestle NESN.S will market a new, US$5 line of frozen pizzas and protein-enriched pastas in the United States which it says it designed specifically for people taking drugs such as Wegovy or Ozempic for weight loss.
How much more Canadian consumers are paying, compared to this time last year
Canada's annual inflation rate slowed to a three-year low of 2.7 per cent in April, matching expectations, and core measures continued to ease, data showed on Tuesday, likely boosting chances of a June interest rate cut.
Amal Clooney is one of the legal experts who recommended war crimes charges in Israel-Hamas war
Amal Clooney is one of the legal experts who recommended that the chief prosecutor of the world's top war crimes court seek arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leaders of the militant Hamas group.
Flight PS752 victims' families say they're not sorry to hear of Iran president death
Members of a Canadian group representing families of those killed when Iranian officials shot down Flight PS752 in January 2020 say they are not sorry to hear of the death of Iran's president.