A critic is warning that property values in Thornhill and Richmond Hill are at stake after a narrow City of Vaughan council vote has taken the city one step closer to potentially hosting a casino.
Ending a marathon committee meeting that concluded at 3 a.m., the 5–4 vote favoured putting Vaughan in the running for the facility, which could bring in a $32 million annual hosting fee and $2.4–$2.7 million in property taxes.
It would also create over 8,000 permanent jobs at one of two potential sites.
The city has identified two possible locations, one at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and the other near Jane Street and Highway 407.
But to Mario Racco, co-chair of No Casino Vaughan, the positives don’t outweigh the negatives.
He claimed that the social costs of operating a local casino — including a marked increase in crime — would spread further than its immediate area.
“The moment the casino opens, the people closest to the casino will be affected. Four to eight per cent of the people will be hooked into gambling,” he claimed. “The casino may be in Vaughan, but Richmond Hill and Thornhill stand to lose just as much as nearby areas.”
Racco also shared concerns that property values in the bedroom communities may be affected negatively.
OLG will choose a preferred host in late 2013. If Vaughan is selected, the casino would immediately enter into the city’s typical planning process.