Niagara Falls MPP once again demanding the government protect the Fort Erie Racetrack against stabling policies at Woodbine.
The policy restricts the numbers of days a horse stabled at Woodbine can race in Fort Erie.
The policy was revised after discussions in early May - originally horses were only allowed to race elsewhere once a season unless the race had a purse over $20,000 - that's now been changed to two days instead.
But MPP Wayne Gates challenged the Liberal government, saying the change is not enough, and that there should be no stabling policy at all.
"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. 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?"
Gates believes the policy puts thousands of jobs at the Fort Erie Racetrack at risk, especially given other challenges including removal of the gaming machines, exclusion from the Racing Alliance, and the loss of off-track betting revenues.