Gates slams Liberal inaction on Fort Erie track

This morning in question period, Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates demanded the Liberal government intervene and protect the Fort Erie Race Track from the unfair stabling policies of Woodbine Entertainment.

“Premier, months ago I explained to you that Woodbine Entertainment had implemented a stabling policy that was designed to kill the Fort Erie Race Track and the thousands of jobs that go with it,” said Gates. “You committed to keeping Race tracks open in Ontario, including rural Ontario Tracks like Fort Erie. It’s been four months since you made that commitment. Time has run out. Will you now intervene to save the Fort Erie Race Track and the thousands of jobs that depend on it?”

The issue revolves around Woodbine’s decision to implement a stabling policy which restricts the number of days that a horse stabled at Woodbine can race in Fort Erie. Gates first raised the question in early May and was involved in a number of high-level meetings with the Minister of Finance, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Ministry staff to address the issue. Woodbine did revise the policy to say that horses could race elsewhere for two days instead of the original one day, but Gates contends that there should be no prohibitive stabling policy whatsoever.  

“Premier, you stood there and told me that you were committed to the survival of Fort Erie and small racetracks,” said Gates. “Will you act on your commitment and ensure that the Fort Erie racetrack remains open, and thousands of jobs are protected?”

According to Gates, the stabling policy is just the most recent blow to racing in Fort Erie, where the track has faced other challenges including the removal of gaming machines, exclusion from the newly formed Racing Alliance, and the loss of off-track betting revenues.