OLG’s Toronto Casino Plans Spark First Nation Concerns

The Province of Ontario and the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation's relationship has deteriorated recently. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation's decision to open a brand-new $1 billion casino in the Greater Toronto Region has upset the First Nation. Plans include for taking additional action and negotiating with the regional administration.

It should be noted that the Great Blue Heron Casino's owner, MSIFN, and the OLG reached an agreement in 2016 to assure that the casino would be run similarly to other government casinos in the GTA.

It should be noted that the Great Blue Heron Casino's owner, MSIFN, and the OLG reached an agreement in 2016 to assure that the casino would be run similarly to other government casinos in the GTA. The First Nation would receive its revenue to fund its growth and services, such as the provision of safe drinking water.

No Again Without Consultation

The First Nation stated in a press statement that it reached agreements with the OLG and the government with the idea that both parties would act in good faith and in compliance with the agreements. According to Chief Kelly LaRocca, the government is once again acting without consulting anyone and placing the country's regulations.

She claimed that after years of negotiations about the issue with the local government and OLG, the tribe has now arrived to the stage where mediation will begin in the upcoming months. The attorney said that the Ford administration once more chose to enforce its decision first and ask questions later, completely disregarding the First Nation and the Crown's honor.

The Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto would be the name of OLG's new casino, which would be run by Great Canadian Gaming and be situated near to Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto.

This week, it was revealed that it would debut in the summer of 2023 and include a hotel, an entertainment hub, a new parking structure, and more in addition to a sizable casino floor.

The First Nation will once more concentrate on its good faith efforts in the mediation, said Ms. LaRocca, and it will get ready for whatever happens next. This summer is set aside for the beginning of mediation between the MSIFN and the Ontario provincial government about the province's current course of action.

Previous Problem

Due of the introduction of OLG's Pickering Casino Resort in July 2021, the relationship between the First Nation and the local government has been strained for some time. The Nation asserted that the new casino violated the negotiated agreement for gambling in the Greater Toronto Area shortly after it opened, and it has regularly reminded the government of the problem.

Back then, the MSIFN asserted that the Ford administration had broken its agreement with the First Nation by approving a regulation that would have allowed the opening of Picker Casino Resort.

The distance between the tribe's casino and the one in Pickering is around 50 kilometers. According to Ms. LaRocca, the province changed the Ontario gaming map to further its own goals.