The union representing horse racing workers in Ontario is calling on Premier Doug Ford to reverse a recent decision by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation not to renew its gaming contract with Shorelines Slots at Kawartha Downs and parent company Great Canadian Entertainment.
The contract is set to expire in April 2026, and SEIU Local 2 says the move could jeopardize about 150 jobs at the slots and racetrack, in addition to employment connected to local suppliers and contractors.
The union argues that the racetrack cannot continue to operate without the slots, which serve as the anchor tenant and provide essential rent revenue. It adds that the OLG’s decision is especially troubling given the track’s efforts to expand into a year-round destination property – a plan that could create more local employment opportunities.
OLG says the move comes as Ontario’s Optional Slots at Racetracks Program ends. In a statement to PTBOTODAY.ca, officials said the program, launched in 2019, was designed as a temporary measure to support racetracks where slot facilities had been closed or relocated, adding partners, including casino operator Great Canadian Entertainment and the property owner, were aware of the timeline from the outset.
SEIU Local 2 represents more than 20,000 workers across several provinces, including those employed in Ontario’s horse racing industry, which supports over 30,000 jobs province-wide.
The full letter to Premier Ford can be viewed at seiulocal2.ca/olg-decision-puts-jobs-at-risk.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
