Woodbine casino expansion offers cautious hope for local job seekers — with a catch
Kate McGillivray | CBC News | Posted: August 15, 2017 9:00 AM | Last Updated: August 15, 2017
New development would bring jobs, but some neighbours skeptical benefits will come to Rexdale
Mustafa Abdi is well aware of the issues that could come with the construction of a casino at Woodbine Racetrack — problem gambling and addiction chief among them.
But he's got a handy metaphor for what it could do for Rexdale, a neighbourhood in northern Etobicoke struggling with high unemployment rates and vanishing employers.
"As the saying goes, when life throws you lemons, make lemonade. We are now trying to make the best out of this situation," he told CBC Radio's Metro Morning.
Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) announced this past week it has selected Ontario Gaming GTA LP — a partnership between the Great Canadian Gaming Corporation and Brookfield Business Partners LP — as the service providers for Woodbine's expanded gaming options.
With that milestone passed, residents are sizing up what the new addition will mean for their area.
2,500 new jobs promised
Abdi, along with a core group of six to eight others, is an organizer with MYRex, a campaign that aims to lock the city and casino developers into delivering specific benefits to the neighbourhood.
They are especially focused on the new jobs that will come out of the multi-use development, touted by Woodbine Entertainment Group as a "city within city" containing shopping, offices and residential units.
Over the past two decades, the area has been hit hard with the loss of major employment hubs. A 2013 city staff report estimating that the area lost upwards of 20,000 jobs between 2001 and 2011.
But a nearly 283-hectare casino complex could reverse the trend.
Long-time proponent of the expansion Coun. Vincent Crisanti says that upwards of 2,500 new jobs will be generated, telling CBC Toronto that hiring locals is a priority that he'll fight for.
But Peter D'Gama, another MYRex organizer, worries even supportive councillors won't be enough.
"The councillors seem receptive but we don't know how much power they have to talk with the companies," said D'Gama.
Shoring up 'loopholes' in city's conditions
City council's approval of the expansion of gaming at Woodbine in 2015 came with 21 conditions, including bringing economic benefits to the local community.
"My concern is that with those conditions, there will be loopholes and the companies will not follow [them]," said D'Gama.
Crisanti said that ensuring that new jobs go to locals is already "ingrained into the conversation" between the city and the corporations selected to build it.
But MYRex wants a firmer commitment.
In all, they would like to see 10 per cent of jobs go to local hires, firm timelines in place for when the hiring will take place, as well commitments to include affordable housing in any residential construction.
"We want jobs not just after it's built, but also in the construction period. That's where the most lucrative jobs are. That will involve training young people," said D'Gama.
'Their resume goes to the bottom of the pile'
That's especially important because of the number of youth in the area he's seen struggle to land a job.
"Some people say job hiring is done by postal code. People see the postal code, it's hard for them to get the job," he said. "Also the name, because a lot of people come from different areas, their name sounds different… their resume goes to the bottom of the pile."
Job seekers in Rexdale face an array of struggles, including discrimination, explained Erica Taylor, who works to assist newcomers and unemployed people enter the workforce in her role as a general manager of the Albion Road YMCA.
"One of the major challenges is transportation," said Taylor of the bus-reliant area. "When you talk to people, they want to work in their community. "
Wariness lingers
Resident Shirlanne Maryuen wonders how good the casino jobs really are, considering a recent gaming workers' strike over job security concerns and work-life balance issues.
"When they start projects like this, they make promises [like] 'Oh it will be so good for the economy, everybody will get jobs,'" she said. "But I'm not too sure that's going to happen."
The OLG says it chose the company based largely on its proposal for economic development, the details of which OLG spokesperson Tony Bitonti would not comment on.
Bitonti confirmed any new gaming jobs, like poker or blackjack dealer positions, will abide by the current union-negotiated contracts now in place.
But when it comes to ensuring the company offers well-paid, secure jobs off the gaming floor, Bitonti pointed to the current GTA labour market as the community's main guarantor of work, and would not confirm that there are any mechanisms in place to compel the company to offer such jobs to people who live in Rexdale.
"If you look at the hotel and restaurant industry in the GTA — whatever's [offered] will be competing to hire these people. If they don't provide well-paid jobs with decent benefits then they won't be getting the solid employees that they're looking for," he said. "The standard is already set by what the community has to offer right now."
A representative from Woodbine Entertainment Group said the company believes the expansion's new service provider will carry out city council's desire to employ locals.
Meanwhile, Ontario Gaming GTA LP said in a statement it would not provide details about its employment plans at this time.
As for Taylor, she's cautiously optimistic that the development will reverse years of slumping employment numbers.
But wariness lingers that the promised jobs will never materialize.
Like Abdi and D'Gama, she'd like a firm commitment for the number of local hires.
"The unemployment rate is higher than the city, so I think the commitment should be ten per cent or even higher," she said.