Item - 2012.HL18.1
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by City Council on May 21, 2013 and was not adopted.
- This item was considered by Board of Health on November 19, 2012 and was adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council on May 21, 2013.
- See also EX30.1
HL18.1 - The Health Impacts of Gambling Expansion in Toronto
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Not Adopted
- Wards:
- All
City Council Decision
At City Council on May 21, 2013, Item HL18.1 was ruled redundant due to City Council's adoption of Item EX30.1, as amended.
Background Information (Board)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-51871.pdf
(November 7, 2012) Attachment 1 - Toronto Public Health Position Statement on Gambling and Health
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-51872.pdf
(November 7, 2012) Attachment 2 - The Health Impacts of Gambling Expansion in Toronto-Technical Report, Toronto Public Health and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, November 2012
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-51873.pdf
(November 19, 2012) Presentation from the Medical Officer of Health (November 19, 2012) - The Health Impacts of Gambling Expansion in Toronto
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-52296.pdf
Communications (Board)
Rulings (City Council)
HL18.1 - The Health Impacts of Gambling Expansion in Toronto
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Board Recommendations
The Board of Health:
1. Recommends to City Council that based on health evidence pointing to severe health risks associated with gambling, that the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) not be invited to expand gambling in the City of Toronto.
Decision Advice and Other Information
The Board of Health:
1. Recommended to City Council that based on health evidence pointing to severe health risks associated with gambling, that the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) not be invited to expand gambling in the City of Toronto.
2. Endorsed the Toronto Public Health Position Statement on Gambling and Health (see Attachment 1 to the report, November 7, 2012, from the Medical Officer of Health).
3. Requested the City Manager to make the Toronto Public Health Position Statement on Gambling and Health available to all participants in the public consultation process, including through the City Manager's toolkit to be developed for the consultation process.
4. Requested that the City Manager’s Office ensure the following stakeholders are included in the consultation process prior to reporting to City Council on hosting a casino in Toronto:
a. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regarding optimal responsible gambling practices and compliance with all regulatory requirements in Ontario;
b. The Toronto Police Service regarding optimal restrictions on alcohol licensing and casino hours of operation;
c. Problem gambling research institutes in Ontario regarding the risks in expanding access to gambling and optimal policy development;
d. Problem gambling community service providers regarding risks in expanding access to gambling and optimal policy development; and
e. Neighbouring residential and business communities.
5. Forwarded this report to City Council at the meeting at which it considers a new casino in Toronto, and that Council consider the Toronto Public Health Position Statement on Gambling and Health, and the evidence linking increased access to gambling with greater problem gambling prevalence and associated adverse health impacts as outlined in this report.
6. Requested that the Ontario Ministry of Finance and OLG implement a mandatory player card system and that non-nominal data drawn from this system is shared with problem gambling researchers.
7. Forwarded this report to the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario, to Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, and to health units across Ontario.
8. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to prepare a public presentation and make senior Toronto Public Health staff available for community groups and public meetings.
9. Requested the Medical Officer of Health to undertake further research on community health impacts, analyzing such issues as crime, local economic development, neighbourhood impacts, social safety net impacts and to report back to the Board of Health prior to Council's deliberation on the matter.
The Medical Officer of Health gave a presentation.
Origin
Summary
In March 2012, the Ontario Ministry of Finance approved the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation’s (OLG) report Modernizing Lottery and Gaming in Ontario: Strategic Business Review (referred to as the OLG Report). There are many recommendations in the OLG Report that will result in increased access to gambling in Ontario. The focus of this staff report is on the OLG recommendation to open a casino in Toronto. The OLG will not proceed without municipal support.
The Medical Officer of Health undertook this staff report in collaboration with the experts in gambling addiction from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) to consider, from a public health perspective, the implications of a casino in Toronto. This report reviews the health impacts of gambling and provides policy recommendations of relevance to casino-related gambling addiction based on a comprehensive Technical Report, a Position Statement and key informant interviews. This report complements a report by the City Manager and external consultant's report that reviews the costs and benefits of a casino in Toronto and were considered at the November 5th, 2012 meeting of the Executive Committee.
Problem gambling is a significant public health concern. Researchers who define problem gambling as including both moderate risk and the most severe form of problem gambling estimate that the prevalence of problem gambling in Ontario is between 1.2% and 3.4%.8 The most severe form of problem gambling affects upwards of 11,000 people aged 18+ (0.2%E) in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and 25,000 (0.3%) in Ontario. In addition, approximately 129,000 people aged 18+ (2.8%) in the GTA and 294,000 people (3.0%) in Ontario are considered to be at risk for problem gambling. Problem gambling has a profound impact on gamblers’ friends and families, thus substantially increasing the population affected by problem gambling.
Hosting a new casino in Toronto is anticipated to increase the frequency and severity of problem gambling in the city, and the associated negative health impacts on individuals, families and communities. A casino located anywhere in the GTA will likely increase problem gambling and associated health risks for Toronto residents, with greater impacts on closer communities. Decisions regarding a new casino in the GTA should consider the likely increase in problem gambling and associated health impacts.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-51871.pdf
(November 7, 2012) Attachment 1 - Toronto Public Health Position Statement on Gambling and Health
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-51872.pdf
(November 7, 2012) Attachment 2 - The Health Impacts of Gambling Expansion in Toronto-Technical Report, Toronto Public Health and Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, November 2012
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-51873.pdf
(November 19, 2012) Presentation from the Medical Officer of Health (November 19, 2012) - The Health Impacts of Gambling Expansion in Toronto
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2012/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-52296.pdf
Communications
Speakers
Patrick Au, Executive Director, Chinese Family Services of Ontario
Steve Barnes, Policy Analyst, Wellesley Institute
Robert Simpson (Submission Filed)
Maureen Lynett, Founder, No Casino Toronto
Peggy Calvert, Co-Founder, No Casino Toronto
Motions
1. That the Board of Health take the position, based on health evidence pointing to severe health risks associated with gambling, that the OLG not be invited to expand gambling in the City of Toronto.
2. That Recommendation 6 in the report (November 7, 2012) from the Medical Officer of Health be amended by adding the words "and to health units across Ontario" to the end of the sentence.
3. That a new Recommendation 7 be added to the report as follows:
"Request the Medical Officer of Health to prepare a public presentation and make senior Toronto Public Health staff available for community groups and public meetings."
4. That the Medical Officer of Health be requested to undertake further research on community health impacts, analyzing such issues as crime, local economic development, neighbourhood impacts, social safety net impacts and report to the Board of Health prior to Council's deliberation on the matter.
Vote (Amend Item (Additional)) Nov-19-2012 3:35 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - Part 1 of motion 1 by Councillor Mihevc |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 9 | Members that voted Yes are Raymond Cho, Sarah Doucette, Abdul Fattah, John Filion (Chair), Pamela Gough, Joe Mihevc, Gord Perks, Suman Roy, Jennifer Sarjeant |
| Total members that voted No: 1 | Members that voted No are Kristle Calisto-Tavares |
| Total members that were Absent: 3 | Members that were absent are Paula Fletcher, Sadia Khan, Rumina Velshi |
Vote (Amend Item (Additional)) Nov-19-2012 3:37 PM
| Result: Carried | Majority Required - Parts 2 to 4 of motion 1 by Councillor Mihevc |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 10 | Members that voted Yes are Kristle Calisto-Tavares, Raymond Cho, Sarah Doucette, Abdul Fattah, John Filion (Chair), Pamela Gough, Joe Mihevc, Gord Perks, Suman Roy, Jennifer Sarjeant |
| Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
| Total members that were Absent: 3 | Members that were absent are Paula Fletcher, Sadia Khan, Rumina Velshi |
Vote (Adopt Item as Amended) Nov-19-2012
| Result: Carried | Majority Required |
|---|---|
| Total members that voted Yes: 10 | Members that voted Yes are Kristle Calisto-Tavares, Raymond Cho, Sarah Doucette, Abdul Fattah, John Filion (Chair), Pamela Gough, Joe Mihevc, Gord Perks, Suman Roy, Jennifer Sarjeant |
| Total members that voted No: 0 | Members that voted No are |
| Total members that were Absent: 3 | Members that were absent are Paula Fletcher, Sadia Khan, Rumina Velshi |