Trust, in my opinion, is the most valuable business commodity and the first step in earning trust is to listen. This is why we’re launching our Expression of Interest process on the North Shore to gauge whether communities would be interested in hosting a gaming facility.
We’d like the Districts of North and West Vancouver, the Squamish Nation and Tsleil-Waututh Nation to consider how a gaming facility might fit their development plans. While the City of North Vancouver considered its stance on gambling about a year ago, we still believe it is important to include that local government in our interest-gauging process.
Currently, any adult who lives on the North Shore doesn’t have easy access to a gaming facility. It is our role to continually look for ways to better serve our customers. With the lack of easy accessibility in the region, we are taking the first step to understand if the community wants to help us improve accessibility for those who choose gambling entertainment.
We respect the authority of local governments to determine whether they want a facility in their community, and we want to make sure they have all the facts before they decide. The potential economic opportunities of a new facility are too large to ignore. Our third-party assessment estimated the incremental revenue potential of a gambling facility on the North Shore to be between $25 and $40 million annually.
A host community receives 10 per cent of the net gaming income generated by a facility. In our last fiscal year, host local governments across the province received over $95 million from income generated by gaming facilities. This money went towards important community assets like parks, community centres and fire halls. There are other potential benefits local governments can consider such as good-paying jobs and new entertainment amenities for their residents.
As the organization that is accountable for generating net income to support the public good, we have to continually look for opportunities to provide great gaming entertainment for adults. And with that accountability comes great responsibility. With programs like BCLC’s GameSense and the Province’s Responsible and Problem Gambling Program, we’ve demonstrated that gaming can be delivered responsibly, and with the right programs in place for those who may need them. Services that minimize harm are free and available to anyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week in communities and gaming facilities across B.C.
BCLC is committed to a clear, transparent process. We’re asking communities to consider how a gaming facility might fit their development plans, and listening to their feedback. We will only consider moving to the next phase if one or more local governments express interest. If more than one local government expresses interest, we will select one based on the submissions and with the support of a third-party fairness monitor. When we do that, the odds are in favour of the right outcome, whatever that might be.
Jim Lightbody, president and CEO of BCLC
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