Highlights from Toronto city manager Joe Pennachetti's casino report:
- The report does not provide a definitive recommendation on hosting a casino, but outlines 43 conditions that must be met if council votes yes.
- Chief among the conditions is that any new casino include a significant convention development.
- The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. and its selected operators must implement a Toronto Casino Social Contract. The contract would include strategies to mitigate negative societal impacts.
- The proponent must fund transportation and infrastructure related to the casino development.
- OLG has said it wants the casino floor to be between 150,000 and 250,000 square feet. The report says it should be a maximum of 175,000 square feet. The two sides also disagree on the number of hotel rooms – OLG wants 1,200 while the report says up to 800 – and the number of parking spaces. OLG says there should be up to 6,000 spaces, while the report says it should be a maximum of 2,950 downtown or 3,375 at Exhibition Place.
- Construction of the convention and casino development would create 6,200 to 7,000 net new construction-related jobs. The facility would also create 10,000 net new operations and convention jobs.
- An Environics poll says 50 per cent of Torontonians are opposed to a new casino, while 42 per cent support it. Eight per cent are not sure.
- Of the 17,780 feedback forms completed through the city's public consultation process, more than 71 per cent were opposed to the casino.
- The report recommends council support an expansion of the gambling site at Woodbine, including additional slot machines and the introduction of live gambling tables.