OFA, industry aim to keep horse racing panel on track

GUELPH

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) will work closely with the horse racing industry and rural Ontarians to ensure the government’s new panel presents viable recommendations on building a future for the horse racing industry.

The government last week appointed a panel to work with the horse racing industry and consult on the sector’s transition, including the allocation of $50 million in program funding over three years.

“The announcement from the province today presents some hope to a severely damaged sector,” said OFA president Mark Wales. “OFA is committed to working with industry to ensure the panel makes practical and viable recommendations for the best future of the horse racing industry in Ontario.”

The government-appointed panel includes three former Ontario cabinet ministers, Elmer Buchanan, John Snobelen and John Wilkinson. They are from the three parties with seats in the minority legislature today. The panel is inviting comments from stakeholders and will provide recommendations in a final report to government later this summer.

“The ‘ready, shoot, aim’ approach of the Ontario government has been extremely disheartening for all horse racing stakeholders,” Wales said. “The [Dalton] McGuinty government tore down the industry first and is only now consulting on its future.”

The shared revenue agreement for the Slots at Racetracks program - which enabled the industry to be self-sustaining - was dissolved by the provincial government effective March 2013. The resulting challenges such as the “displaced workers” acknowledged by the panel present a bitter testament to the serious economic impact these changes will bring.

The OFA is the largest general farm organization in Ontario, representing 37,000 farm families across the province. As a farmer-led organization based in Guelph, the OFA works to represent and champion interests of Ontario farmers through government relations, farm policy recommendations, lobby efforts, community representation, media relations and more. OFA is the leading advocate for Ontario’s farmers and is Ontario’s voice of the farmer.

June 22, 2012