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APRIL 30, 2013 CITY OF KITCHENER
A special meeting of City Council was held at 6:05 p.m. this date, chaired by Mayor C. Zehr with all
members present.
Notice of this meeting had been previously given to all members of Council by the City Clerk pursuant
to Chapter 25 (Council Procedure) of the Municipal Code.
Mayor Zehr advised that this was the second of two public consultation sessions being held as to
whether the City of Kitchener should be a host municipality for an Ontario Lottery and Gaming
Corporation (OLG) facility. He stated that as per the process agreed upon at the April 8, 2013 special
Council meeting, Councillors would not be asking questions of the delegations. He added that this
matter is scheduled to be considered at the May 13, 2013 Council meeting, noting that no further
delegations would be permitted to address Council at that time.
Mr. Ted Parkinson advised that, in his opinion, the Provincial Government has already decided that a
casino would be located in Waterloo Region, what is unclear is whether it will be constructed in the
Township of Woolwich or another municipality. He commented that the majority of residents would
be happy if Kitchener City Council decided against being a host municipality; however, it would just
mean that Woolwich would receive the financial benefits from a casino. He suggested that the local
area municipalities should approach the Provincial Government to demand that if a casino is built
anywhere in Waterloo Region, then the revenues should be shared across all local area
municipalities; rather, than the current process of pitting the various municipalities against each other.
Mr. Marcus Shantz spoke in opposition to an OLG gaming facility being located in Waterloo Region.
He stated that a casino would not positively impact the City's economic development and would not
benefit the local economy as most spending would occur at the casino. He cautioned against
assuming that a casino would be located in the Township of Woolwich, noting that there is still time
for that municipality to reconsider its decision.
Ms. Karen Scott gave a presentation in opposition to a casino being located in the City of Kitchener.
She expressed concerns with respect to the impact a gaming facility might have on this community,
noting personal experiences of the difficulties of living with a severe problem gambler.
Mr. Patrick Yanchus addressed Council in support of the City of Kitchener agreeing to host an OLG
gaming facility. He encouraged Council to endorse the use of Bingemans as a potential future
location for a casino in Kitchener.
Mr. Peter Durksen, Grace Mennonite Brethren Church, gave a presentation, outlining his opposition
to a casino being located in the City of Kitchener. He asked that Council consider how a casino
would negatively impact the social fabric of this community.
Mr. James Howe advised that he is opposed to a casino anywhere in Waterloo Region, stating that
the OLG is acting in bad faith by not dealing with the municipalities in this Region as one entity. He
suggested that the Township of Woolwich has forced this debate on the City of Kitchener by agreeing
to host an OLG gaming facility. He commented that building a casino in Kitchener does not fit with
the tenets of a safe and healthy community. He commented that no amount of money could mitigate
the social consequences associated with problem gambling and asked that Council reject the
possibility of being a host municipality.
Ms. Shannon Weber, Downtown Kitchener Business Improvement Area (BIA), addressed Council
indicating that the BIA believes that there is no place for a casino in the City of Kitchener. She stated
that while municipalities across Ontario may have embraced a casino as a strategy to assist with
growing and revitalizing their languishing downtown areas and to stimulate economic development,
this is not required in Downtown Kitchener. She advised that the City's Downtown is currently on a
path of positive economic development, due to existing investments. She recited a quote from
Richard Florida in the Huffington Post, "that casino building is city ruining of the highest order, and
virtually every serious study that has ever been done as to the economic impacts of casinos shows
that their costs far exceed their benefits." She added that if Council were to agree to host a casino,
the BIA would request a commitment to fund activities to promote the Downtown recognizing the
economic and social burdens that a casino would impose on the City's core.
Mr. Lawrence Bingeman addressed Council in support of the City of Kitchener examining the
possibility of becoming a host municipality for an OLG gaming facility. He noted several issues that
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were at one time considered normal, but in today's society seem outdated; such as no shopping on
Sundays. He suggested that in the future, the same viewpoint might be taken regarding this debate
as to whether the City should host a casino. He stated the OLG indicated that 83,000 people from
this area leave the Region to gamble in nearby casinos, adding that it would make sense to have
those people spend their money in Kitchener.
Ms. Nadine Quehl, Alliance Against Poverty, provide Council with a copy of a position paper develop
by her organization, which outlines their objections to a casino being located anywhere in Waterloo
Region. She stated that the Problem Gambling Research team at the University of Waterloo found
that casinos represent a loss for the local economy, since the majority of money is spent in the casino
hotel, restaurants and shops, instead of local businesses. She suggested that the proposed casinos
are to be run for the benefit of the Provincial Government and not the host municipality.
Ms. Sue Pallas expressed concerns with the possibility of the City of Kitchener becoming a host
municipality for an OLG gaming facility. She spoke of her personal history of being a problem
gambler, noting the damage that addiction has had on her life.
Mr. Harald Drewitz circulated informational material, outlining his objections to a casino being
constructed in the City of Kitchener. He spoke to the financial implications of a casino, expressing
surprise with the information provided by the OLG that the average salary of someone working at a
casino was $50,000. to $60,000. He suggested that those amounts do not coincide with what has
been reported in the media, adding that the City should request a breakdown from the OLG as to how
much non - management employees earn annually.
Jelacic Juraj was listed as a delegation to address Council on this matter, but was not in attendance
at this meeting.
Mr. Bill Pegg, K -W Gaming Centre Sponsors, provided Council with several reports outlining the
impacts that a casino may have on the municipality. He advised that while he is ambivalent about a
casino being located in Waterloo Region, he is offended by the inference that the OLG is dishonest.
He stated that their mandate is to control gaming within the Province and to turn a profit from it on
behalf of the taxpayers. He expressed concerns with the offensive and degrading comments made
by some people that gaming is a tax on the poor and the stupid. He advised that no one has the right
to judge people who happen to enjoy casinos as one of their entertainment choices, regardless of
their financial circumstances. He pointed out that the OLG gets 90% of its revenues from 30% of its
customers; however, most businesses make the vast majority of their revenues off of a small group of
regular customers. He suggested that Council could decide to share any revenues the City receives
from the OLG with the rest of the Region as a means of mitigating the social impacts of a casino on
this area. He noted that his only reason for supporting a casino would be the possible injection of
millions of dollars into the local economy through construction jobs and eventually casino employee
payroll. He suggested that accordingly, Council should move forward with negotiation with the OLG
as a means of garnering further information.
Mr. Rob Martin, Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council, circulated a position paper indicating
his organization's opposition to a casino being located in Kitchener. He asked that Council consider
the impact that a casino would have on people in the community who currently experience gambling
problems and addiction or will develop it in the future. He stated that while the evidence on the
association between casinos and suicide is not clear; it is known that problem gamblers are three and
a half times more likely to attempt suicide compare to the general population. He suggested that the
development of a casino in Waterloo Region would facilitate the means for problem gamblers to
develop or worsen in people who are already struggling with this addiction.
Mr. Joe Mancini, The Working Centre, spoke to the experience his organization had in operating two
charity casinos on behalf of area service clubs in the mid- 1990s. He stated that after only two
weekends the Working Centre determined that sharing in the profits made through gambling was
wrong. He added that a disproportionate amount of revenues made from gambling comes from the
poor and asked that Council not support the proposal to host an OLG gaming facility.
Mr. John Neufeld, The House of Friendship, spoke to the risk factors associated with having a casino
located within this community. He commented that while the potential for an additional source of
revenue is enticing, the generation of this revenue would come at the expense of members of the
community. He noted the inadequate amount of funding that is currently provided by the Provincial
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Government for social services, adding that a casino would place a further strain on those services.
He requested that Council not support the proposal to host an OLG gaming facility.
Mr. Mike Farwell indicated that a casino built anywhere in Waterloo Region would bring a variety of
negative social consequences that would affect all residents. He stated that the Medical Officer of
Health indicated that a casino in this Region would create 8,800 high severity problem gamblers. He
added that prior to building a casino in Columbus, Ohio last year, a study was conducted by
community research partners, which estimated the cost of treating one problem gambler at $715. per
year. He suggested that it would cost approximately $6.3M annually to treat the problem gamblers in
this community. He noted that this is significantly higher than the estimated $4M in revenue that a
casino would generate for the local municipality. He stated that while it is undeniable that a casino
would generate revenues for the municipality, it is also true that building a casino would create a host
of new problems. He noted that while those problems are primarily social, there is an economic
argument to consider. He commented that, he does not want to see a casino located in this Region
because we, as a community, are better than that. He cited several examples of how Kitchener has
fostered economic development, noting that the revenues generated by a casino are not needed for
the future success of this community.
Mr. Ivan McNeilly provided Council with materials outlining his objections to a casino being located in
the City of Kitchener. He advised that he is a retired member of the Salvation Army, who opposes all
forms of gambling. He commented that the OLG is not so much interested in providing citizens with
pleasurable entertainment as they are in reaping profits. He added that in his opinion, this is another
form of taxation on people who are too weak to refrain from this enticement. He submitted a petition
signed by 50 members of the Salvation Army Kitchener Community Church rejecting the idea of a
casino being located in Kitchener.
Ms. Marcela Saad circulated a copy of her speaking notes to Council, which expressed her opposition
to Kitchener being a host municipality for an OLG gaming facility. She encouraged Council to
continue with the implementation of the City's Economic Development Strategy to modernize and
diversify the local economy by placing an emphasis on emerging economic clusters. She suggested
that residents are not prepared to accept the unsavory changes that a casino would bring to the City's
existing health environment.
Mr. Jerry Forler advised that as a resident of the Township of Woolwich he was requesting that the
City of Kitchener reject the proposal put forward by the OLG. He stated that ten years ago he was
part of a coalition of concerned citizens who opposed the addition of slot machines to the Elmira
Racetrack. He expressed concerns with the impact that a gaming facility may have on the area's
youth.
Mr. Abdul Rahimi spoke in opposition to a casino being located in the City of Kitchener. He expressed
concerns with regards to the detrimental impacts a casino could have on the community, noting that
he did not wish to have his seven children grow up to be gamblers.
Ms. Sharon Wallace addressed Council in opposition to Kitchener being a host municipality for an
OLG gaming facility. She commented that the disingenuous self- interested arguments put forward in
favour of a casino were disheartening. She stated that this is a legacy decision, which will impact
future generations; accordingly, Council needs to ensure that its decision is in the best interest of the
community.
Moved by Councillor K. Gal loway-Sea lock
Seconded by Councillor S. Davey
"That leave be given the Mover and Seconder to introduce a by -law to confirm all actions and
proceedings of the Council and that the same be taken as read a first, second and third times, be
finally passed and numbered 2013 -058 by the Clerk."
Carried.
On motion the meeting adjourned at 7:53 p.m.
MAYOR CLERK