It turned into more of a defining moment than Kathleen Wynne had really been aiming for. The Premier decided weeks ago that she wanted to replace Paul Godfrey as chair of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. He was too enthusiastic about a Toronto casino; too antagonistic toward the horse-racing industry; his style was not [...] Read More »
Horse racing cannot take all the credit for Thursday’s firing of Ontario Lottery and Gaming’s Paul Godfrey, but the persistent pushback by the industry over the past 14 months clearly registered with Premier Kathleen Wynne. And now there is hope that a proper arrangement can be found to sustain the game. Under Godfrey’s watch the [...] Read More »
GUELPH — Sweeping changes at the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation could be an indication of better things to come for the beleaguered horse-racing industry. On Thursday the provincial government fired Paul Godfrey as chair of the OLG and the rest of the board quit in support. The industry feels these moves are another sign [...] Read More »
Over the past several months, The Agendahas discussed the fear that tens of thousands of Ontario jobs in the horse racing and horse breeding industry were set to disappear in the wake of Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG)’s modernization strategy. At issue was the termination of the Slots At Racetracks Program (SARP), which had pumped hundreds of millions [...] Read More »
At racetracks and the few remaining breeding farms around this province, thousands of hard-working individuals who breed and race horses for a living can be excused for at least humming like a Munchkin: Ding Dong, The Witch is Dead. The not unexpected news that Paul Godfrey has been firedby Kathleen Wynne as chair of Ontario Lottery [...] Read More »
Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath spent two hours Friday afternoon riding shotgun in a black pickup truck touring rural Flamborough. With horse breeder and trainer Jim Whelan as her guide, Horwath and NDP MPP for Essex Taras Natyshak, met face to face with several area residents directly impacted by the province’s decision to cancel the [...] Read More »
After reaching short-term agreements with 11 of the province’s 17 racetracks to continue live racing for 2013, the Ontario government is ready to map out a long-term plan for the industry. The government announced May 13 it has asked the province’s Horse Racing Transition Panel to put together a long-term plan to implement a number [...] Read More »
FORT ERIE - Harry Eder has been a staple of the Fort Erie Race Track for almost 40 years. The Toronto native started working at the track as a groom in 1974 and has worn many hats at the historic oval. Today’s he’s the co-ordinator of horsemen relations, meaning he acts as a liaison between the track [...] Read More »
The Ontario government has compiled a shortlist of candidates to succeed Paul Godfrey as chairman of the province’s lottery corporation, as Premier Kathleen Wynne grows increasingly frustrated with the agency’s handling of sweeping changes to the gambling sector. Ms. Wynne is questioning the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.’s privatization and expansion strategy endorsed by her [...] Read More »
GUELPH — Officials are warning local horse owners of the appearance of a potentially fatal virus that has shown up in Wellington County. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food reported that a case of Neurotropic Equine Herpes Virus-1 was found in a horse at a local farm early last month. The highly contagious disease [...] Read More »
