CD-1 (519) Text Amendment Parq Casino Slots

Statement Watch

Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Susanna Ruhl, and I'm the Resigning Planner for the CD1 Text Amendment application under the Gaming Control Act for 39 to 65 Smythe Street. I'm here with my colleague, Jody Cedar-Jones, who will present these applications with me today. The site, shown in red, is located on the northeast corner of Pacific Boulevard and Smythe Street. BC Place Stadium is to the east of the site. The site is surrounded by CD1 zones with downtown district zones further to the north. The construction of Park Casino was completed in 2017. The building contains retail space, office, hotel, restaurants, and a casino. This site is located within the Northeast Falls Creek Plan. The plan was approved in 2018 after the development of Park Casino. The report also evaluates an application by the BC Lottery Corporation, BCLC, pursuant to the Gaming Control Act. Under the Gaming Control Act, the BCLC must receive approval from the host local government prior to substantially changing the extent of lottery schemes at the gaming facility. This includes increasing the number of slot machines. It also requires the host local government to seek adequate community input and consultation with each potentially affected local government, including First Nations. In addition, in 2011, council adopted a moratorium on expansions of gambling and gaming facilities in the city. The moratorium was amended in 2024. The amendment enables applications to substantially change the extent of lottery schemes at existing gaming facilities. Council directed that applicants are required to provide a full health, safety, and economic impact assessment of their proposals so staff can analyze the impacts of the gambling expansion. Council also directed staff to explore opportunities to increase the social responsibility fund and or other related funds to address the impacts of any proposals. The rezoning proposal is to amend the CD1 bylaw to permit the increase of the permitted slot machines from 600 to 900. The Gaming Control Act application makes the same request. There are no form of development changes proposed to the existing building. Good evening. I'm Jody Sider-Jones, Managing Director for Social Policy and Projects. To turn now to the health impact assessment, the applicant undertook and submitted a health impact assessment as required. And in order to ensure council's decision on the proposed expansion is informed by an understanding of the health, economic, and safety risks arising from gambling and casino operations. Staff reviewed the HIA in collaboration with key partners and found it to be strong in its framing and identification of key issues. The applicant's HIA defines health holistically using a social determinants of health lens and follows standard processes established through the literature and identifies problem gambling, i.e., persistent gambling behavior that leads to significant financial, social, or mental health harm as the central health risk.

Statement Watch

It also sets out both potential benefits and anticipated harms or risks from the proposed expansion. Benefits identified in the HIA include increased potential for revenue generation, expanded job creation, and enhanced leisure or entertainment value. Anticipated risks and harms related to gambling and problem gambling identified in the HIA include proportionate economic, health, and social related harms. with notation of further disproportionate impacts on socioeconomically vulnerable groups and higher risk players, and an understanding that these individual impacts can have broader social effects. As stated, the health impact assessment submitted by the applicant frames the key issues. It clearly sets out both potential benefits and anticipated harms from the proposed expansion. However, staff found that the HIA was limited in providing quantitative estimates of the likely magnitude of expected risks and harms. In a complementary analysis, staff found that the expansion has the potential to generate additional revenue and employment as well as entertainment benefits for an estimated 200,000 non-problem gamblers over the next five years, with an additional roughly 6,000 net new patrons projected to fall into low to higher risk categories of individual problem gambling over the same period. Staff note that harms associated with the proposed increase from 600 to 900 slot machines are not negligible, as slot machines present a moderately higher risk form of gambling, particularly for already vulnerable groups. And staff confirm the HIE's findings that there is a potential for proportionate indirect impacts to others and potential for increased demand for health and social services. Staff also recognized that the applicant has been implementing mitigation measures since it began operations as part of the Responsible Gaming Agreement with the City and as part of BCLC Responsible Gaming Programs. These measures include staff training, accreditation, player health policies, and on-site measures including a Game Sense Information Center on the casino floor. The applicant has committed to retaining and or enhancing measures going forward to ensure adequate security and safety. for patrons and neighbors alike. As part of staff analysis and consultation on the HIA, staff met with Vancouver Coastal Health and Vancouver Police Department and the key healthcare research partners as defined in the responsible gaming agreement. Insights from these discussions were incorporated into analysis and assessment. This includes advice on effective mitigation and enhancement measures that are aligned with health and safety standards. and proportionate to assess degrees of risk or harms. With Vancouver Coastal Health, the conversations were focused around public health implications. The Vancouver Police Department advised on safety considerations with a focused concern on crime rates in the vicinity of the casino.

And key healthcare research partners named in the existing responsible gaming agreement identified suitable amendments as needed if the slot machine expansion were to be approved. Stakeholders included St. Paul's Foundation, the UBC Centre for Gambling Research and the BC Centre for Substance Use. The partners also agreed that research, monitoring and evaluation should continue to focus on potential harms associated with the casino and its expansion. To implement these additional measures, staff proposed that an increase in investments proportionate to potential impacts resulting from the proposed expansion are required to monitor and address the impacts from the expansion. For the public consultation of the Rezoning and Gaming Control Act applications, approximately 40 submissions were received. Comments showed a mix of support and concern regarding the proposed increase in slot machines at Park Casino. Supportive feedback highlighted Park Casino as a value city asset, the need for more gaming variety to stay competitive with nearby casinos, and the potential for increased revenue to benefit city services. Concerns expressed centered on gambling-related harm, neighborhood safety and livability, and lack of community benefits. Regarding gambling impacts, the applicant has been implementing mitigation measures since it began operations as part of the Responsible Gaming Agreement and BCLC programs as mentioned previously. The applicant is being asked to increase the mitigation measures, monitoring and fund contributions to offset these increased risks. Regarding neighborhood safety, given the known health and safety concerns arising from problem gambling and casino operations, it's critical to consider these impacts when assessing any proposed expansion. According to the Vancouver Police Department, the largest impacts on police statistics occurred when Park Casino opened and receded after. The Vancouver Police Department believes that any future impact due to the increase in the number of slot machines should be less significant. Regarding lack of community benefits, additional gaming-related municipal revenues and fund contributions have the potential to increase health and social value, as well as leading to a small increase in employment and associated wages and benefits. Furthermore, additional slot machines will provide expanded gambling options closer to home for casual players who primarily use the casino for recreation and socializing and are not at risk of problem gambling. The applicant has offered to increase the total contribution under the existing responsible gaming agreement from 600,000 annually to 750,000 in 2027 and 900,000 in 2028 and future years, subject to annual inflation adjustments after 2028. The existing agreement provides both a contribution to the city's social responsibility fund and a research payment contribution to the St. Paul's Foundation made in the name of the city. The applicant's contribution will be centralized and the city will manage disbursement for related research purposes through city granting processes.

In addition, under the terms of the host financial assistance agreement, the city receives 10% of the net revenue from the facility's gambling operations each year. The applicant has estimated that the proposed expansion of slot machines at the Park Casino is expected to result in approximately $3 million of additional revenue over the first three years, or roughly $1 million per year, for a total benefit of approximately $8 million annually. This number is projected by the applicant to grow over time. In conclusion, staff recommend approval of the Rezoning and Gaming Control Act applications, subject to the conditions outlined in Appendix B of the report, contingent on mitigation measures monitoring and targeting use of contributed funds, with the understanding that these cannot fully offset the underlying risk. Staff and the applicant team are available to answer questions. Thank you.

Statement Watch

Good evening, Council. My name is Pat Davis. I'm the president and CEO of BCLC. Tonight, I am joined by Karen Gray, who is the vice president of marketing for Park Casino. Park Casino is part of a world-class resort located in a world-class entertainment destination, the city of Vancouver. Park Casino is frequented and enjoyed by Vancouverites and city visitors, boasting two hotels, eight restaurants, and lounges. I can tell you that Park is an amazing partner. for us at BCLC, and continues to share in our commitment to supporting the health and well-being of our players and our communities. So thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight. As you know, we are seeking rezoning of 3965 Smythe Street to allow for an increase in the maximum permitted slot machines from 600 to 900 at Park Casino, along with the related Gaming Control Act application. The request of both applications is straightforward. Increase slot capacity by 300 from 600 to 900 within the existing ARC casino. And these applications follow the principle that this council set in 2024, that any gaming enhancements occur only within existing facilities. At BCLC, our vision is to revolutionize gambling entertainment through engaging experiences that build and benefit communities. I emphasize that because both BCLC and PARC are proud to be part of this one right here in Vancouver. BCLC exists to serve the public interest, accountable to communities we support, and not simply to operate gaming facilities. Thanks to profits of play, last year alone, $1.4 billion in BCLC net income was returned to the province to be invested in vital public programs, including healthcare and education across the entire province. More focused here in Vancouver, however, in addition to the host local government revenue that the city receives for hosting casinos, BCLC net income benefits many community and nonprofit organizations right here. In fact, so far this fiscal year, almost 500 nonprofits in Vancouver have received nearly $17 million through the province's community gaming grants program that support the incredible work that they do in this community every day. BCLC is also proud to sponsor many Vancouver events and experiences and places to bring the community together. This is for connection, entertainment, and purpose. This, of course, includes the new BCLC backyard area of the Freedom Mobile Arch at the PNE, which we're very excited to help celebrate when it opens this summer. It's been great to support the city and watch it grow and evolve over the past number of years, but a lot has changed in the city since you placed a limit on the number of slot machines in Vancouver 15 years ago. Since that time, the city's population has grown by more than 20%, while local casino capacity has remained the same. And that means that many Vancouver players are leaving the city to play elsewhere. because the casinos here are not meeting their expectations. We know that most players potentially impacted by the requested change are already gambling, but are doing so outside of Vancouver. In fact, 71% of BCLC's gambling revenue from Vancouver players is actually flowing through other lower mainland casinos. That means, simply put, that the city is losing out on important revenue from its own residents. Without supporting the ability for Park Casino to expand and meet market expectations through more slot machines, Vancouver will continue to see local players and their economic activity leaving the city. Over the past 15 years, the gambling market has also shifted significantly. In particular, it's broadened with the growth of digital gambling and betting. Online gambling can be accessed by any adult that has a mobile phone Apart from BCLC's Play Now, which is legal and regulated in BC, there are over 800 sites operating here and in Canada illegally. These sites do not have the player health and safety supports or other regulatory obligations that are required for every single BC casino. And we take these obligations, along with our commitments, to grow responsibly with player health at the forefront incredibly seriously. Most British Columbian adults who gamble do so for fun and entertainment. And we want to reassure that there are robust support systems in place for everyone who are engaging with our products, including those who may have challenges with our products. We know, however, that some residents still have concerns about the health and social impacts of gambling. So I want to touch briefly on the strong safeguards we have in place independent validation behind them and how we continue to raise expectations through continuous improvement. DCLC respects that everyone experiences gambling differently and we want to encourage people that gamble to do so in a regulated environment like park because we have robust safeguards to promote safer play. In 2023 BC became the first lottery jurisdiction in North America to implement mandatory ID requirements to enter all of our casinos. In short, this is to prevent people from entering the casino who should not be there, including those who have chosen to take a break from gambling as part of our Game Break self-exclusion program. You might have also heard about our widely adopted award-winning player health program called Game Sense. That promotes responsible gambling through education and includes in-person Game Sense advisors in casinos across BC and is also available virtually online. Eric and Mike are the dedicated advisors at Park Casino for this program. And due to its success, BCLC licenses GameSense to several North American jurisdictions. MGM Resorts International is just one example of this. So our GameSense advisors have the important role of educating our players to support safer play or refer to them to treatment and support if they're experiencing challenges. So I've highlighted just a couple of examples of our player health program, which overall has supported BCLC to achieve and maintain the highest level of responsible gaming certification by the World Lottery Association for five consecutive three-year terms. Our program was recognized in 2023 as the world leader in this type of programming. It is most recent assessment Park Casino also received one of the highest scores ever achieved by a BC casino from RG Check. a responsible gambling accreditation program that is currently mandated in the covenants with the city of Vancouver. Park was also recognized by RGCHEC as the number one casino in North America and number two in the world for player health best practices. Above and beyond compliance standards, Park has instituted its own player health initiatives, including additional training for new employees and marketing staff, responsible gambling tools to set limits on cash advances, and recognition of staff who engage in player health best practices. All of this reflects our shared deep and enduring commitment to player health, not just to meet requirements, but to raise the bar. And with that, Karen will share a few final words about PARCC's commitment here in Vancouver.

Statement Watch

Thanks. Please go ahead, Karen.

Thank you. Good evening. At Park Casino, we have a saying that we are for Vancouver. So to our team, Vancouver is the place where we live, where we work, where we raise our kids and where we play. So for us, that means we believe that we have a responsibility to be very proactive about player health and safety culture, as well as make community contributions, partnerships and impact. Last year alone, Park Casino provided the City of Vancouver more than $6 million for hosting Park Casino. Park has committed to increase contributions to the city's social responsibility fund by $300,000 per year. This will bring Park's total contribution to $900,000 should Council approve the rezoning application before you here tonight. Since Parks' inception in 2017, money from this fund has gone into a wide range of city public services, including Parks and Recreation, the Vancouver Public Library and the Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services. Park has also committed to expanding our For Vancouver program, which provides donations, fundraising facilities, marketing support, volunteering and repurposed clothes and linen to non-profits in the Vancouver area. Park regularly supports local partner organisations like the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, the Kettle Society, the Dr Peter Centre, the Veterans Transition Network and Filipino BC to help support dozens of community programs each year. More than one quarter of our staff is made up of local neighbourhood residents. Our inclusive hiring practices target unemployed and underemployed adults in Vancouver through partnerships and working with local non-profits. One anticipated economic benefit from the approval of this process includes the creation of new local jobs, including two full-time and 12 part-time positions. Park also works to support the local economy through our procurement efforts. More than 15% of our goods are sourced from vendors in the Downtown Eastside, Strathcona and Mount Pleasant communities. Like BCLC, Park is part of the Vancouver community, believes in the Vancouver community and is committed to the Vancouver community. In closing tonight, we ask that the Council approve the applications before you. The proposed expansion is a measured enhancement within an existing facility, one that keeps activities safe and regulated, supports community benefit and reflects the safeguards that Vancouver expects. Thank you for your time and we're happy to take questions. Thank you.

Statement Watch

All right. Thank you. So as you mentioned, I'm Dr. Mark LeSition, medical health officer for the city of Vancouver. Under the BC Public Health Act, it requires medical health officers to advise local governments on public health issues. Gambling is a significant public health issue associated with serious harms, things like suicide, addiction, family and relationship disruption, and severe financial issues like theft and bankruptcy. Problem gambling and addiction to gambling affects a minority of the people who gamble. It's true. But the harms are suffered by that group, although harms can be suffered by everyone. Other vulnerable groups are also overrepresented in the harm, people with mental health issues, substance use disorders, people with low socioeconomic status, young adults. And although many kind of responsible gambling measures are implemented now in BC casinos, the reality is that the harms of gambling don't just affect the gambler. Research shows that on average, about six people are affected for every one problem gambler that's affected by harms associated with gambling. So, you know, this affects gamblers' families, their children, their friends, their workplaces, and their communities, not just the gamblers themselves. So because of this, gambling needs to be regulated. And in a model where we regulate gambling, it needs to be legally available with as many protections as you can put in place. But you need to limit the availability so that the market doesn't just expand, expand, expand, because then gambling activity expands and you see more harm. So I spoke against the lifting of the moratorium. I participated in the health impact assessment process, and I'm here to speak in opposition to the motion tonight. The health impact assessment process was very good at identifying the potential benefits that would come for this. We got exact numbers on how much expected revenue might come in and how that would benefit the city of Vancouver and other community agencies, but we weren't able to identify specific numbers for the amount of harms that are coming from this facility currently. PARC couldn't provide them, BCLC couldn't provide them, and the province really hasn't done any kind of significant look at the harms associated with gambling in BC since the 2009 Provincial Health Officer Report. So there's not really a great accounting of the harms associated with gambling, even though there is a great accounting of the benefits. And we've heard a lot today about the player protections and some of the mitigation measures, and we're happy to have these in place. But at the same time, PARC and BCLC could not provide us with any data about the effectiveness of these measures. How many suicides do these prevent? How many cases of problem gambling do these prevent? There's no data on that. So this is a high-risk activity. We have availability in Vancouver. We have availability in the lower mainland. And we don't believe that further availability is necessary. If there's more gambling activity that takes place at this facility, it increases the likelihood of problem gambling. It increases the likelihood of harms. If this motion does go forward, we do encourage you to kind of accept the increase in the social responsibility fund and the responsible gaming agreement. We participated in those discussions about the updated agreement. The current agreement clearly has not been able to kind of monitor or characterize the exact harms coming from this facility, and that made it difficult to characterize what additional harms will come from this expansion. So we're hoping that with this new agreement, there'll be more attention on that, and that if future expansions are proposed, we'll at least have some data about the current harms that are coming from this facility and any proposed expansions. So again, we're recommending you vote in opposition to this. Thank you.

Statement Watch

Thank you very much and thank you all for your hard work and your attention. I would think that the primary rationale for this application is increased revenues to the city and the suggestion that there is some kind of unmet need for more gambling facilities at Park Casino. The historical pattern here is actually very clear if you look at it, which is overstated projections, underperforming reality, and declining revenues. In 2004, when slot machines were first proposed to this city council, the Lottery Corporation projected $10 to $12 million in annual revenue to the city, and that was at the original Edgewater location. The casino actually averaged about $6.2 million per year in the first years. That's not a minor gap, and that's not a one-off. In 2010, the BC Lauder Corporation projected an expanded casino would generate $17.3 million annually for the city. What was not disclosed at that time was that the Lottery Corporation had commissioned an independent hospitality expert report from HLT Advisory, and that that analysis sharply contradicted the representations that were made by the Lottery Corporation to this body and to the public. And the HLT Advisory projected revenues of approximately $9.8 million. And that report only came to light when it was published on Francis Buell's website, blog. It ran about 20 pages, was very detailed and was worth a look. You can't find it anymore now. I can't find it but I did see it at the time. We're being told today that there's a great need and a great demand for more gambling facilities at the park. And yet, the reality is that just over construction of the New Park Casino, revenues to the city ran and averaged about $8.3 million, topping at about $9.43 million in 2018. The number today is $6.1 million, roughly the same as it was in 2005, 2006, with this exception. In today's dollars... 2005-2006 of 6.2 million this would be a 36% drop from the 2005-2006 we would be getting considerably more if we were just staying even. But we're not. Right now, the revenue is about $6.1 million, down 35% from its high in 2018. So how can it be said, and this has been a persistent pattern over a number of years, so how can it be said that there is need for more facilities at the Park Casino? In fact, it's underperforming. 35% below capacity. This is not a business experiencing excess demand that requires expansion, even accounting for population growth. And we can't even really see what Park Casino estimates the increased revenue to the city to be. The BC Lottery Corporation's own annual reports show casino visits are declining. This is not just local. Land-based casinos across North America are under structural pressure from online gambling, shifting player behavior, and higher operating costs compared to digital competitors. Great Canadian Gaming is divesting most of its BC assets. In Nevada, some 307 casinos have seen a combined income fall of 24% in 2024. That's before Donald Trump's tariffs. It's well known that the strip is really suffering. So the industry response, and this is not just happening with the BC Lottery Corporation and Park Casino, the industry response... across the industry has been to increase electronic gaming slot machines and electronic tables, which generate higher revenue, but with lower labor and operating costs. But these are widely recognized as the most addictive forms of gambling. Just go ask GPT. Just go ask chat GPT right now what is the most addictive form of gambling. And even more than sports betting, which we're all starting to become very concerned about, are slot machines. And this city has been struggling with addiction and the weight of that addiction. What I would suggest that this city needs or what you need is independent revenue projections, comprehensive business model forecasting, and independent addiction expertise such as the medical health officer of Vancouver. Thank you for your time. I wish I could have more.

Statement Watch

Thank you, Sandra. Thank you for those comments and information. We're going to move to our next speaker, number three on the phone, Aman Brar. Aman?

Yes.

Yes. Hello. Hi, Aman. Your address is council. You have up to five minutes.

Hi. One second here. Thank you for allowing me to talk today. My name is Aman Brar, and I'm here today as a resident of Vancouver. I want to speak to the discussion around adding more slot machines at Park Casino. With respect, I think we're asking the wrong question. Today, anyone with a smartphone already has a casino in their pocket. Online gambling is widely accessible through platforms like Bet365, PokerStars, BetMGM, and availability is not the issue. We're really talking about... in whether Vancouver residents can enjoy a regulated in-person entertainment experience in their own city. Right now, downtown Vancouver has essentially one major option, Park Vancouver. And often there are no available slots. After a hockey game at Rogers Arena, when thousands of people pour into the streets looking for something to do, options are limited. If you want a reliable in-person experience, you're often told to go to Burnaby. But why should residents here leave Vancouver to enjoy entertainment? Adding 300 or more slot machines won't suddenly increase gambling in a world where gambling is readily available 24-7 off your smartphone. What it will do is help meet existing demand in a controlled, regulated, in-person environment downtown. This isn't about expanding gambling culture. It's about supporting downtown vibrancy, keeping entertainment dollars in Vancouver, and giving residents options in their own city. If council is concerned about harm reduction, I would argue that a supervised, regulated facility, physical venue is far more accountable than the digital alternative that already exists. Vancouver should be a city where people can work, live, attend a game, have dinner, and enjoy entertainment, all without needing to cross city boundaries. Thank you for your time.

Statement Watch

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is speaker number four, Paul Sanghera, also on the phone. Go ahead, Paul.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Paul Sanghera. I'm a resident of East Vancouver. And just while I was waiting, listening to everyone speak over the phone, I did notice that a lot of people were bringing up the online Bet365, PokerStars, DraftKings, all of that. And I would like to pretty much follow up on that because... That's something that doesn't require you to travel. I mean, you don't have to walk into a physical building. You don't have to interact with anyone. And this is just becoming a reality of gambling, not only in Vancouver, just worldwide. So when we're debating here about adding 300 slot machines and giving more access to gambling, we're pretty much debating something that already exists and has existed for pretty much a long time. The question in front of you is not whether gambling will occur. It already does. The real question is whether Vancouver will provide regulated in-person entertainment experiences in its own downtown core, or is it going to continue pushing activity towards more of the online books and the online sports books? Obviously, we live in Vancouver. We host NHL games at Rogers Arenas along with other concerts and various events. Thousands of people come out, pour out onto the streets after a game like that, and they don't really have... anywhere to go other than clubs, bars, or casinos. Yeah, we only have one casino, which is Park, and it's pretty much like everyone's saying, it operates at capacity. I think that it wouldn't be an excess bringing in 300 more slot machines. I think it would just be meeting the demand. If Council's concern is harm reduction... And we should recognize that a staff-supervised regulated physical venue offers much more accountability and security than an app that follows people into their homes and it will sometimes never close. 300 additional machines is not going to create a grambling problem. It's already here. I just demonstrated that. What it will do is allow Vancouver to manage it locally, keep economic activity downtown, and support vibrancy in a controlled setting. We cannot pretend we're limiting something. This is already existing in everyone's pockets, everyone's living room. And in my opinion, just honest opinion, I think it's a lot safer to actually have to go physically into a building and gamble than to just be sitting on your bed going through money all day, not even taking into account the value of real money, which is what the newer generations are sort of coming accustomed to, which is what we need to kind of stop. And that's about it. I want to thank you guys for your time. Have a good evening.

Statement Watch

Thank you very much for calling in this evening. Our next speaker is speaker number five, Ian Pitfield. You're in person. Welcome, Ian. Thank you, Madam Chair and Councillors.

My name is Ian Pitfield. I'm a resident of Vancouver in Yaletown. I've been opposed to the development of the Park Casino since 2008. The idea first came to me or I first learned about it back in 2011. There's been a constant battle ever since to try to constrain, if not defeat, what's going on down there at the Park Casino. I urge you to defeat this resolution. and that would result in the increase in the number of slots from 600 to 900. And in that regard, I wholeheartedly endorse the remarks that were made by Ms. Garasino. If you are thinking of approving the application as it's presented, I would urge you to defer the vote. There's a very good reason to defer. Back in 2014, the government or one of its departments or agencies commissioned a report entitled BC Problem Gambling Prevalence Study. The study followed with a further study in 2020 prepared for the provincial government and the Gaming Enforcement Branch. A new study is now being undertaken I think one of the councillors mentioned that earlier in this discussion today. Reportedly by the Department of Public Safety and the Solicitor General, it's intended to update the conclusions expressed in the 2014 and 2020 reports, namely that gaming problems produce financial harm, mental issues in the form of anxiety and depression. suicidal ideation, and suicidal planning, and unfortunately sometimes suicide itself. The data for the present study has been compiled, as I understand it, and there is a likelihood that the report will be finalized this spring. There's every reason to believe that the report will conclude that the incidence of problem and addicted gambling has increased since 2014. A startling increase in problem and addictive gambling was portrayed in material circulated by the Mental Health Research Canada as recently as November 2025. As I recall, the estimate of the population involved in problem and addictive gambling back in 2014-2020 was about 3% of the gaming population. The most recent information distributed by the Mental Health Research Canada indicated that the number had increased from about 3% to about 9%. I would expect that I'm sure that BC Lottery Corporation and probably Park has participated and responded to questions that must have been asked by them, by the authors of the report and the investigators who are doing the work. One should fully expect that the proliferation of online gambling is going to detract from the need for additional slot machines in park and probably detract from the need for a facility like park at all. Because all of the forms of camping that you can engage in in a casino are equally available by phone. So in response to the resolution, I would say I would encourage you to act in a responsible way as council with eyes on the welfare of our city's population at large. I encourage you to at least wait until we have the updated report finalized and the results are known. Certainly what BC Lottery Corporation has portrayed is that it represents the platinum or gold standard of casino operation in our country and indeed throughout the world. I'm sure that if their practices and procedures and their diminution, if you like, of problem and addictive gambling are as good as they say they are, that will probably be evident in the report that's going to be released later this spring. I ask you a simple question. Why would you want to act precipitously when you have the likelihood of a well-informed and studied report coming forward sometime between now and in the next few months? The best course in my, I would submit, is to require city staff to direct inquiries to the Gaming and Enforcement Branch and the Department of Public Safety and the Solicitor General to get specifics of the, regarding the timing of the finalization release of the nearly-common report and an indication of the trends that it will convey.

Statement Watch

Our next speaker is speaker number six, George Chayka, in person. Good evening. Good evening, Madam Chair and Council.

My name is George Chyka. I'm the Senior Vice President of Business for the BC Lions Football Club, and I'm here tonight to support BC Lottery Corporation and Park Casino in their request for expansion. For more than 20 years, we've teamed up with BCLC, and it's always been more than just about football or gaming. It's about making Vancouver and British Columbia a better place for everyone. BC Lottery Corporation and Park Casino do so much for our community. BCLC's BCLC Community Heroes Program celebrates folks and groups who really make a difference, inspiring others to get involved. And that's something that we recognize before each of our home games at BC Play Stadium. They've also supported our Be More Than a Bystander program, which is all about respect and inclusion. and stopping gender-based violence, something both Alliance and BC Lottery Corporation are very proud to stand for. And in 2024, BCLC's support was a huge part of making the Grey Cup in Vancouver such an outstanding success, not just the game, but the events surrounding it. including the Great Cup Festival. Their involvement helped make the event bigger and better, bringing together people from all over the country and showing off just how spectacular Vancouver can be when it comes to hosting major sporting events. The festival atmosphere, the energy, and the celebrations really showcased our city to fans coast to coast and gave local businesses a tremendous boost to the tune of $88 million. that was spent here in Vancouver. And the Great Cup Festival in 2024 being named the National Sporting Event by the Sport Tourism Association of Canada for any sporting event with a budget of over $3 million. Working together for over two decades, we've seen firsthand how much gets done when organizations care about the community. Whether it's in the stands at our games, through these great programs, or at big events like the Great Cup, the city genuinely benefits from what BCLC brings to the table. And Park Casino isn't just a place to play games. It's a hotspot in downtown Vancouver for world-class entertainment and big sporting events. It draws visitors, boosts local businesses, and gives our city a chance to shine globally. With this expansion, Park can host even more unforgettable events, create jobs, and help the economy thrive for everyone here. Park also adds to Alliance game day experience through pre- and post-game entertainment experiences, and I've seen firsthand the lineups, the busyness that Park Casino experiences before and after our games. BC Lions, Park Casino, and BC Lottery Corporation all want to see Vancouver grow, be inclusive, and succeed. Responsible gaming and strong community values go hand in hand. So we're asking council to support the applications and help us keep Vancouver moving forward. Thank you for your consideration, and we hope you allow the expansion for Park Casino.

Statement Watch

Thank you, George. Thanks for coming in this evening. Speaker number seven, Lindsay Brown. Is Lindsay here? Oh, I think she might be popping in right now. Yeah. Welcome, Lizzie. You're going to be going to this podium over here. Yeah, you're left by right. Mayor and Council.

My name is Lindsay Brown. I'm a co-founder of Vancouver, Not Vegas, which was the grassroots organization that defeated the last attempt at expanding this casino back in 2011 when it was called the Edgewater Casino. And unsurprisingly, I am still opposed to the expansion. There's too much critical information omitted from this application. It is not ready for council, and any decision should be delayed until council has sufficient information. You've all received, I think, the letter I co-signed with Michelle Travis of Unite Here Local 40. It's a comprehensive letter, and five minutes isn't enough time to cover all of its points. So I would ask you to please read it before voting if you haven't already. And tonight, I'd just like to bring up some other information from the prior fight that seems germane to this one. First, I just need to say I can't believe I have to come back here and fight this again, an issue that I and hundreds of others fought 15 years ago. And to add insult to injury, today is the 15th anniversary of the beginning of those hearings. It was February 17, 2011. And instead of celebrating that win, we have to come back here and do Groundhog Day all over again. Former BC Supreme Court Judge Ian Pitfield, who just spoke before me, helped us defeat that expansion, and I always remember him standing on this exact spot in 2011 and saying to Mayor and Council, don't make me come back here, you guys. I hoped we wouldn't have to, and yet here we are. As an aside, I also want to remind this Council that those hearings set a record for speaker numbers, which was only broken years later by the 105 Kiefer debate. Gambling expansion tends to be deeply unpopular in BC, but especially in Vancouver. Those hearings went on for weeks, with the vast majority of speakers opposed, and given that gambling problems, tragic as we all know they are, hit nearly every extended family in BC. So it's unsurprising that so many were opposed. In 2011, multiple reputable polls bore this out, and it showed a staggering majority of Vancouverites strongly opposed, and they also felt that the benefits of casinos were outweighed by the harms of financial losses, violence, and addiction. with slots considered the most highly addictive. Economic data supported those views, the policing costs, the social and financial costs, generally shown to be cumulatively higher than the revenues for the public. And you can find all of that information on the website for that fight, which we kept alive. It's VancouverNotVegas.ca. And we kept that alive against an eventuality just like this. For what it's worth, in my decades of activism, I have never seen that much cross-partisan consensus in public opinion. And I don't think things have changed. Even though we now have a more impoverished media environment, it was very interesting to see last night's Vancouver Sun article by Joanne Lee Young on Park's application. Yet a flood of online comments from across the political spectrum, all negative. Apropos of nothing, another parallel with 2011 is that we were heading for a civic election in the fall then, too. But I guess my main question for council today is what is the rush here? Why is this application being pushed through so quickly with so little information offered to council, including there's no clear idea of the contributions to the city, and with so little public notice? Is it fear of Vancouverites organizing again, or is it that BCLC and the proponent are attempting to get this expansion pushed past council before a number of new expected studies on gambling addiction and revenues are released this spring and fall? True or not, the rumor is parks owners want to sell the casino. So the optics are that this is a real estate play in a hurry. We need to be assured that's not what this is about. Is the financially imperiled park trying to sweeten the pot for buyers with an enticement of more slots? In the context of a sale, new negative reports about slots and addictions and failing revenues would be inconvenient. The fact is, as you've heard already, most of these brick-and-mortar casinos are failing or beginning to fail, not just Park, and Park has been in deep financial trouble ever since it opened in 2017. Interestingly, revenues from slots, the area of these casinos that most target low-income and vulnerable gamblers, are actually way down, as you've heard, possibly due to online gaming. The proponent is arguing that Vancouver's population has increased, so slots must too. But if use of slots is pegged to population, why are demand for slots and subsequently the revenues down? I would like to see the data showing Vancouverites are leaving the city for suburban casinos. The likelier explanation is the explosion of online gaming. A few last points. Arts and charities, the proponents always try to benefit starts in charities, but those promises never deliver and charities are traditionally dinged out of money that they would be getting. And see, I'm about to run out of time. So I'll just, in short, ask you to please take more time to decide whether a reckless addition of another full casino's worth of slots to this city without a rationale that makes sense is a good idea. A decision on this application should be delayed until upcoming gambling studies are publicly released. Thank you, Lindsay. Please vote no. Thank you very much.

Statement Watch

It's your time. Thank you. Appreciate that. Our next speaker is speaker number eight, Michelle Travis. Let's give Michelle a moment to come in. Welcome, Michelle.

Good evening. My name is Michelle Travis and I live in Vancouver. I am here on behalf of Unite Here Local 40. We oppose this proposal. It raises two key questions. Will community benefits outweigh the costs of adding 300 more slots? And can park generate the level of host city revenues that they promise? For both questions, we believe the answer is no. Worse, if council approves this proposal, we are concerned this could be another giveaway that shortchanges Vancouver residents. This is not a minor zoning amendment. Adding 300 more slots is the equivalent of adding another casino downtown. Over a decade ago, residents fought for and won a moratorium on gambling expansion, limiting tables and slots at two existing casinos and prohibiting new ones. Approving this undermines that public safeguard and defies the will of the people. And who really benefits? Park has shifted its customer focus to a gambler and casino-first strategy. Park's VP of Marketing has stated that growth will come from casino players, not casual visitors. That suggests a focus on frequent gamblers, which may include the very people most at risk of problem gambling. Roughly 5% of problem gamblers generate about one-third of gambling revenues in B.C., and slot machines are among the most addictive forms of gambling. The city estimates 6,000 additional patrons could face varying levels of risk for problem gambling if more slots are allowed, harm that extends to families and communities. Problem gambling is rising among people earning under $40,000 a year and those aged 65 and older. If PARC doubles down on court gamblers, this may increase pressure on our stretched health and social services. The cost of emergency response is also a concern. Data from the Vancouver Police and Fire Departments show that emergency calls tend to rise and fall in tandem with parks' revenues. Between 2020 and 2024, there were a total of 1,439 police and fire calls to 39 Smythe Street. That's a level comparable to or exceeds calls to certain SROs on Granville Street that house some of our city's most vulnerable residents. But then again, city leaders have cited emergency call volumes at SROs to justify closing them on Granville Street. Yet council is considering a major gambling expansion that generates a similar number of emergency calls without the same level of scrutiny. So what community benefits offset these social costs? Park is proposing $150,000 top-up to the city's social responsibility fund in 2027 and again in 2028 with inflation-adjusted increases thereafter. Yet Park already owes $400,000 in inflation-adjusted increases to the city's social responsibility fund under its community benefits agreement. We're wondering how many years has Park not been in compliance with its community benefits agreement. Given the Auditor General's concerns the City Hall has not maximized the value of public land sales or collected the full value of community amenity contributions owed by developers, how can we be confident that Park will be held accountable? Then there's the question of whether 300 more slots can generate the host city revenues promised to Vancouver. The applicant argues more slots are needed because Vancouver's population has grown 22% since 2011, while the number of slots have remained the same. They seem to suggest there is so much pent-up demand for slot machines that Park can't keep up. What they omit is that Park's slot revenues have declined by 19% since fiscal year 2018-2019. That's the steepest drop among comparable casinos around Metro Vancouver. The BC Lottery Corporation warns the casino market is facing saturation in their annual reports with an aging customer base and increased competition from online gaming. Adding 300 slots will further cannibalize the metropolitan Vancouver casino market. And many Vancouverites live closer to Hastings Casino, the other Vancouver casino, Granville Villa, and River Rock than Park. And adding slots won't change that. Claims that Park will generate an additional $1 million in new host city revenues should be treated with caution. Similar projections at area casinos have fallen short of expectations. Even if those revenues materialize, Park's proposed community benefit is a mere drop in the bucket relative to the social costs. An independent revenue assessment of what the city can realistically expect is warranted here. Finally, counsel should ask the applicant where the new slot machines would be sourced. The BC Lottery Corporation partners with IGT, which manufactures many of its slots in the United States. IGT is owned by a U.S. private equity firm whose CEO is a big backer of the Trump administration. So at a time when British Columbia and Canada face punishing tariffs from the U.S., this is not the time to go Team USA. We respectfully urge you to reject this proposal. Thank you.

Statement Watch

Okay, I think I'm coming across clear over the speakerphone rather than my problematic phone, so here goes. Good evening, Council. My name's Stanley, currently still living in Vancouver. Regarding the park rezoning and I think application for additional slot machines, I... I'm going to hold out on my position on that. I do acknowledge that lots of people are seemingly desperate for additional local or tourist revenue. However, based on what I've heard so far, both tonight and the articles discussing the topic, I... Just can't hear an adequate enough business case that balances everything well. So the union rep, I think a couple of speakers before me already discussed how it creates social ramifications and also the revenue sharing arrangements may not just, may not, MAY NOT ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE SOCIAL HARMS THAT COME OUT OF IT THAT LEADS TO THE CITY HAVING TO SPEND EXTRA EXPENSES ON THE FIRE SERVICE AND POLICE SERVICE, SUICIDE ATTEMPTS AND JUST WIDESPREAD DISORDER. I MEAN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD, LIKE THE DOWNTOWN EAST SIDE, THE DOWNTOWN AREA, IT'S ALREADY NOT SAFE IN A LOT OF THE TIMES BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL DISORDER WHICH LED TO THE CITY HAVING TO FLASTICALLY INCREASE THE POLICE AND BASICALLY THE FIRST RESPONDER BUDGET. I'M NOT ONE OF THOSE DEFUNTIBLE POLICE CROWDS, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE ESCALATING COSTS IN THIS AREA DUE TO CERTAIN DECISIONS THAT not just this council, but multiple previous councils have made. I think there are a couple speakers who already spoke about the lack of physical casino demand, even in Vegas, let alone there are plenty of other casinos, even in the local area already, if you're not provided that you're not crossing the border. And also, there's also the online gambling element that's just more convenient, even if you, let's say, expand the park casino and have like 300 or so more slot machines. I think it's about 50% increase in slot machines. I don't think it can out-compete with the convenience factor of just people doing it on their smartphones while they're on their SkyTrain or while they're snuggling on the couch or in their beds. But I do sympathize with the applicant with wanting to apply for the text amendment. I mean, lots of people are desperate. And of all the additional jobs I've mentioned, it doesn't even sound like there's that many. So also, I also don't know, and I know I'm not supposed to ask questions about this, but I also don't know the interaction between the city and the provincial government. I do understand the provincial government is also pretty desperate for revenue, but I'm just not confident that this would bring the benefits as many people here claim that it will happen. So all these factors kind of pointed to me to not support this application. Thank you.

Statement Watch

Thank you, Stanley. Our next speaker is Speaker 11, Jean Swanson, by phone. Do we have Jean?

Go ahead, Jean. So I'm Jean Swanson, Vancouver resident, opposed to this item in solidarity with Unite Here and all the families and individuals who are harmed by gambling. The reasons to oppose this are clearly stated in the referral report under... anticipated harms and risks the quote from your own staff report expansion of slot machines one of gambling's most gambling forms most strongly linked to problem gambling is expected to increase gambling related harm more quotes disproportionate impacts on vulnerable groups higher risk of problem gambling occurs among people experiencing mental health and substance use issues, low social connectedness. More quotes, problem gambling is linked to increased risk of financial strain, family and domestic violence, substance use issues, and higher demand for health and social services. More quotes. Research suggests a disproportionate share of gambling revenue, particularly from slot machines, come from a minority of frequent higher-risk or problem gamblers. In BC, roughly 5% of players with problem gambling generate about one-third of revenue. Players with incomes under $40,000 are the second-highest. risk group for problem gambling leading to disproportionate financial and health impacts on residents least able to absorb financial losses more quote research suggests each instance of problem gambling may negatively affect an estimated five to ten other people through stress relationship strain financial insecurity reduced mental well-being and i can go on and on coastal health more quote indicated that the hia doesn't adequately articulate the likelihood or the magnitude of negative health or social impacts though such impacts are anticipated from the proposed slot machine expansion so the proponent is trying to minimize the harm so they can make more profit I stand with the medical health officer and hope you vote this down.

Statement Watch

Speaker number 15, Ruth Cherry. Is Ruth just coming from the lobby? Okay, great. We'll just give her a moment.

Good evening, Ruth.

You'll be using the podium here.

Sorry, I didn't know I was up already.

No, good timing. You have up to five minutes. And just a reminder to say if you're a resident and if you're in opposition or in favor. OK, thank you.

So good evening, Madam Chair and Council. My name is Ruth Cherry. I'm a long-term resident of Vancouver. I've worked in the downtown core for 40 years. I am opposed to an increase of slot machines at 39-65 Smith Street. from the present number of 600 to 900. And according to the applicant, the existing casino floor space can accommodate up to 1,200 slot machines. So it may not be out of the question for yet another increase to be requested in the future. So taking note of the findings of the applicant's health impact assessment regarding the following problems with the expansion of slot machines. Problem gambling. Disproportionate impacts on vulnerable groups, higher risk of problem gambling occurs amongst people experiencing mental health and substance use issues. Related economic health and social harms. Problem gambling is linked to increased risk of financial strain, family and domestic violence, substance use issues, and higher demand for health and social services. Revenue concentrated amongst higher risk players. So research suggests that a disproportionate share of gambling revenue, particularly from slot machines, comes from a minority of frequent higher risk or problem gamblers. So in BC, roughly 5% of players with problem gambling generates about one third of revenue. And this seems to be amongst people in the $40,000 bracket. What my concern is the ripple effects as well. So domestic violence is rife. That affects the family unit, affects the children, it affects their future. And when I hear that Vancouver has a lower percentage or ratio of slot machines as compared to, say, Richmond, Burnaby, I don't really understand the logic. because we have the Downtown Eastside, which is rife with people who are homeless, on drugs, for various reasons. They have mental health problems. Some people are homeless, too, because they've gambled, in some cases, away everything. So I don't think it's a really valid point. The public benefits of the CAC contribution from 600,000 to 900,000 in 2028, it does not ameliorate the damage done to the community by additional access to gambling. So when there's this thought that, well, we can ameliorate some of the damage by throwing money at it. It's kind of like going to the downtown east side and throwing around a bunch of heroin and saying, well, we'll put some safe houses here. That'll take care of the problem. It doesn't.

And it's the same here. So...

I don't think this is a good excuse for our government that an additional funding, I believe it's 10%, to make gambling even easier to accelerate. The revenue that it receives from the machines in place, let alone additional ones, is not worth it due to the strain on our societal fabric and the impact of our health and police budgets. Some lose everything and thus become homeless, as I mentioned before. And we don't need yet more inhabitants that are homeless in the downtown east side. I ask that you please take additional time to look over the studies that have been mentioned earlier before approving this expansion.

Statement Watch

Thank you very much. Our next speaker is 16, Laura Standard.

good evening council my name is laura standard and i do not support another 300 slot machines at park casino the last time i remember a vancouver council trying to expand gaming was in 2011 and i was a member of the vancouver city planning commission i wrote the presentation we made to council The gist of it, which is all I can really recall, was that Vancouver residents had repeatedly spoken loudly and clearly about casino gambling in downtown Vancouver and did not want any increases. I disagree with the advice you have received that a public hearing is satisfactory consultation for this matter. I only accidentally found out the casino had applied for 300 more slot machines through Unite Here's Facebook post. So I think a much broader consultation is needed. What is the rush? Would it not be beneficial to everyone to know if attitudes towards expanding casino gambling in downtown Vancouver have changed in the last 20 years? And now, listening to other speakers, I find there are research reports on problem gambling in BC to be released in the spring. What is the rush? If you haven't been to a casino lately, you may not realize how science has helped redesign slot machines so that they are even more effective at releasing our brain's dopamine neurotransmitters. They are now the most addictive form of casino gambling, causing more problem gambling and addictive behavior than any other gambling activity. They are the crack cocaine of gambling. Why does Park Casino want another 300? Well, because they are also the most lucrative form of gambling for the casino operators as opposed to the users of slot machines. For a couple of years, I worked for Information Vancouver when it was contracted to answer BC 1-800's problem gambling line. I experienced vicarious trauma answering those calls. The loss and shame destroys families. I could go on about them. But I managed to review some of the letters that were sent to Council back in 2011, and they are still relevant. From Dr. John Blatherwick, Order of Canada, Vancouver's Chief Medical Officer, from 1984 to 2007, writes, All addictions show that the more available a product is, the more of the problem the addiction becomes. Placing this large addiction center next to the sports centers where mainly younger males go ensures a fresh supply of new addicts for the casinos. There are already more than enough casinos in the Lower Mainland, so to attract more into this one center, new recruits are needed. adding newer and younger gamblers ensures more people will become addicted to gambling and i was going to read another that 19 police officers wrote but i'm worried about time so i'm going to jump to um From a man that many from the planning community, the downtown Eastside, UBC, and beyond remember with great love, the late Nathan Edelson wrote, enabling addiction to gambling as a public policy doesn't feel right. He went on, more than a decade ago, Mayor Philip Owen had the wisdom to understand that addiction to illegal drugs is a public health issue. It is time for us to understand that this is also true of addiction to gambling. I would suggest a four-pillar approach to reduce government's addiction to gambling. Nathan went on to delineate step-by-step all four pillars of how government could recover from their addiction to gambling. But I will make this simple. For now, just say no. 300 more slot machines will not increase the amount of fun in downtown Vancouver. It will increase the amount of loss, shame, and misery in all of our communities. Thank you, and I ask that you do not approve this application, or, as others have asked, that you defer it until after these spring reports have been released.

Statement Watch

Thank you for your comments this evening. Our next speaker is Speaker 17, Luis Villegas. I see Luis coming.

We have Luis's presentation.

Okay, I'll check. Good evening, Luis. Do you have a presentation this evening?

I do, but we're going to not use it. I've scrambled my slides to reorganize my presentation. For this one, I can just talk.

Okay, go ahead.

My name is Luis Villegas. I'm a Vancouver resident since 1985. I oppose adding slot machines to this casino, and I also oppose casinos in this city, period. Government is once again skirting its responsibility by asking the casinos to self-regulate. Government making casinos responsible for casino data is like asking the masked man robbing you at knife point to tell you how sharp the knife is and how much harm it will do. I would feel safer, for example, if BC Coastal Health partnered with our universities to monitor and report both harm to the community and profits to the casino. Slot machine harm is well documented. The BCLC's claim tonight that most people who gamble in BC do so safely is not supported by independent studies from other jurisdictions. A study led by the University of Massachusetts Armherst in 2024, found that 90% of all casino revenue is taken from problem gamblers. The applicant is reporting that number as being three times smaller. Among players with gambling addictions, the second largest cohort earned below median incomes. For that cohort, losses at the casino are reported as causing financial instability, home violence, family harm, and even suicides. Claims that only in Vancouver most gamblers are problem-free pushes credulity to the breaking point. Slot machines account for up to 80% of gambling revenue, thus an increase calculated to maximize casino revenues. will also maximize social risk and harm. In terms of the ratio of slots to game tables, the usual breakdown is about 80% to 20%. In the lower mainland, that breakdown is 95% slots and 5% tables. At this casino, after the 300 slots are added, the ratio of slot machines to table games will be 92% to 8%. To the chair's question, how do we make sure there is no gambling addiction, this would be the previous chair. The sure answer is very simple. Only by closing all casinos in Vancouver can we make sure there is no gambling addiction. The Massachusetts study calls slot machines a crack cocaine of gambling. Only one-third of metro municipalities have casinos. Vancouver should join ranks with the other two-thirds. Two government reports are imminent. Approving this expansion without waiting will force electors in October into a binary choice. Vote for a government captured by industry or vote for good government. Thank you.

Statement Watch

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Howard Blank, speaker number 18. Do we have Howard on the line?

Yes. Go ahead, Howard. Good evening. My name is Howard Blank. I'm a proud resident of Vancouver, BC, and I'm in favor of the proposal for Park 3965 Smythe Street. I have over 40 years experience in the gaming industry, including being a team member at the opening of the first standalone casino property, which was Great Canadian Casino's Holiday Inn property at 7-Eleven West Broadway in 1986. and subsequently opening casino entertainment properties in BC, across Canada, and in Europe. My last post was VP of Media Entertainment and Responsible Gambling. One fact I wanted to bring up to councils, did you know that at one time there were over seven charity casinos operating in Vancouver nightly within the city limits, including the West Broadway location I mentioned, Hastings Street, Chinatown, Richard Street, the Blue Boy Hotel, the Fraser Arms Hotel, the Biltmore, the P&E, and others. Less casinos with modernization and proper oversight were welcomed by all when BCLC and government changed the model in the 1990s. I would argue that closing all casinos in BC will simply drive traffic to an unregulated and unsecure market. The park and BCLC have been strong corporate citizens since the opening of the property in September 2017. This is not an application for a new gaming venue, but one to augment the current gaming supply inside a highly regulated and responsible facility. The increase requested for slot machines is a matter of guest service options and does not equate to a rush to gamble with the addiction. And I do understand that addiction is serious, and I agree that there are a small percentage of the population that are addicted to gambling. More gaming options in the form of slots will enable the park to offer more choice to guests, meet critical ebb and flow and demand from events, tourism, and other events on property and in the surrounding area, as the park is right in the center of the truly entertainment district that I would say in Vancouver. The park goes above and beyond being an engaged employer and responsible corporate and gaming citizen in Vancouver. They hire vulnerable and hard-to-employ persons. They follow global leading RG policies and procedures in concert with BCLC and GPEB. In fact, Karen Gray, who spoke this evening, just today was recognized by the Safer Gambling Champion Regulating the Game Global Award as a world finalist for her and her team at PARC to be announced in Sydney later this year. Now, I know firsthand that Park gives back. I sit on many boards, including Varieties, Ajak Ranch, Pads, Odd Squad, and others. I've also helped raise as a charity auctioneer over $1 billion for countless local and national organizations, including many that are adjacent to the park, including Downtown Eastside Women's Center, NALOC Society, Dr. Peter Aid Center, and St. Paul's Foundation, Loving Spoonful, and many more. I'm grateful to the park for their direct support of many of my fundraising galas and events. The park is always there, whether donating auction items to the charities, giving of staff's time, talent, and treasure, including donating found money to so many key organizations throughout Vancouver. Now, these funds are directed by staff committees and go above and beyond financial commitments that coincide with the park's license and their commitment to the city. A few key facts. Every slot machine at every casino in this province have clocks on them so that players are able to see immediately what time it is and how long they've been playing. And I believe that the average complement of slots in the major gaming properties in the DVRD is roughly $1,150 per property. That is almost double the current complement at Park. I fully recommend the approval for the park, which is part of a highly regulated, safe, and secure gaming environment, as opposed to online gambling with zero benefits to anyone, and often only giving the money to offshore operators. I applaud BCLC, GPEB, and the BC Gaming operators, of which Park Casino is an outstanding partner, with their request to offer great choice and meet peak demands for current clients and guests, and our important tourism sector, with two outstanding hotels and multiple restaurants on property. Therefore, I urge Council to please allow for this small additional complement of machines, the 50% request, so that the park can continue their modernization and offer choice to the customers who visit them. Thank you.

Statement Watch

Thank you very much for your comments this evening. Our next speaker is Speaker 19, Ma Rowena Alivio.

Welcome.

Good evening Mayor and Council Members. My name is Rowena Alivio. I'm a resident of Vancouver and I have proudly worked at Park Casino for 12 years. I am also actively involved in representing workers as part of Unifor Local 3000. Over those 12 years, I have seen our workplace at its strongest, and I have also seen how much our members have struggled, including myself, since the pandemic. I am here today to stand and to support the proposal to increase the number of slot machines at PARC. For many people, this decision may look like numbers on paper, 600 machines increasing to 900. But for us, those numbers represent hours, income, and stability. Since COVID, business levels have not fully recovered. Many of our co-workers are not getting maximized hours. When hours dropped, income drops. When income drops, families feel it immediately. Some members worry about qualifying for benefits. Benefits that cover prescriptions, dental care, and essential health needs. In 12 years, I have built relationships with my coworkers. I have seen their dedication. I have seen them show up through difficult times. What we are asking for is not excessive growth. It is the opportunity to remain competitive and protect good union jobs. Even with this increase, Park would still have fewer machines than the Rivera Casino Resort, Grand Villa Casino, and Cascade Langley. This is about fairness and sustainability. We have already seen what happened with the closure of Hastings Racecourse. Jobs can disappear quickly in this industry. If PARC continues to decline, hundreds of workers and their families could be affected. PARC employees are members of this community. We pay taxes here. We raise our families here. Gaming revenue supports public services and charities that benefit the city as a whole. Keeping gaming in a regulated, in-person environment also provides oversight and accountability that online platforms cannot fully replicate. In addition, Many seniors in our community choose to visit PARC not only to play, but to be in a social, supervised environment rather than staying isolated at home. Keeping gaming in a regulated in-person setting ensures there are responsible gaming safeguards and trained staff present, which is far safer than individuals gambling alone online without oversight. I respectfully ask Council to consider the human impact of this decision behind every machine is a worker. Behind every job is a family. On behalf of my co-workers and fellow union members, I urge you to support this proposal. Thank you for your time.

Statement Watch

Yelek? Jelek? I'm not sure. Please tell me. Did I get it the first time?

Vanya is good.

Vanya? Go ahead. You have up to five minutes to address council.

Thank you very much. Good evening and happy Lunar New Year. My name is Vanya Yelich, and I'm a resident of Vancouver. I live and work in the West End slash downtown. I've spent 28 years in this city. Vancouver is my home now, and I deeply care about the quality of life here, not just for me, but for everybody. I'm here today to oppose the proposal to expand the slots at Park Casino. My concern is that the casino is asking for a 50% increase in slots, a major expansion into gambling, which the city's residents won't see any substantial increase in community benefits, if any at all. The casino can make $20 million in this expansion, but is only offering the city about $150,000 for the first year to offset social impacts and a little more the year after that. Quite frankly, I find this insulting. What's more, I recently heard that Park owes the city of Vancouver $400,000 in inflation-adjusted payments under the responsible gaming agreement. How long has it been that Park hasn't paid the city? How much longer must we wait? Mind you, Park had agreed to this payment. Now they're asking for the city even more while giving us less. If I, for example, were to fall behind on my mortgage, my landlord and bank, they can evict me. They can foreclose on my home. I'm concerned that the council here will let the casino, just let it slide. I'm concerned that they'll let the owners off the hook. Who in the meantime is going to pay for the increased rates of gambling, addiction, and policing? Vancouver, all of us, we're going to have to pay for this. We're going to have to foot the bill. Personally, I would say that the costs for this proposal far outweigh the benefits. This is why I asked the council to reject this proposal. Just based on what I've heard here today, I heard about robust gambling prevention. I do not see any results to it. There's still gambling happening. There's still, what did you call them, problematic gambling. It's still happening. It has not been reduced. More slots is going to increase it. I hear about some data of the effects of gambling being available in the spring. Why are we voting on this now then? If the information is coming out in a couple of months, there's really no need to be doing this right now. And the last thing, I just do not understand how online gambling encourages drinking and fighting in the streets.

Statement Watch

A casino does. And I'm just going to leave you with that. Thank you very much. Thank you for staying this evening to speak. Our next speaker is Speaker 21, Melody Ma.

Good evening. My name is Melody Ma. I oppose Park Casino's request to add 300 more slot machines. Adding 300 machines is essentially dropping a brand-new casino right onto the edge of Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside. We know that casinos target Chinatowns and immigrant populations. Before the pandemic, Park ran shuttle buses from the Chinatown Memorial Plaza right straight into the casino doors and back. Those buses were filled with Chinatown seniors and retirees. Physical slot machines are a unique draw to Chinese seniors because unlike online gambling, they don't require tech skills and they bypass language barriers. To say these additional slot machines won't increase problem gambling just because online options exist is simply naive. It ignores the specific accessibility of a physical casino with more slot machines to seniors. If you look at Park's current advertisements, they aren't even hiding their targeting of East Asian seniors. They have a massive outdoor marketing campaign featuring an older East Asian woman in a J necklace with a slot machine literally in her mouth. Park's own vice president of marketing is on the record stating that this image represents their quote-unquote core players. This is a predatory strategy aimed at a community already struggling with affordability, gentrification, and isolation. These folks aren't high rollers. They're community seniors, and we are watching them be sold to a thrill that often leads to financial ruin. Just this past month, a friend in the community had to support a Chinese senior who nearly became unhoused due to a gambling addiction. I've heard many stories of Chinese families in the community suffering social or financial consequences due to gambling addiction afflicting the family at large. We know that many Chinese seniors already take the 23 bus to park, and adding more machines coupled with this predatory marketing will only worsen the situation. Despite the high visible over-representation of Chinese and East Asian players in casinos, there is a significant cultural stigma around gambling addiction. which often prevents individuals from seeking support. The stigma compounded by language barriers likely results in the underreporting of East Asian demographics amongst problem gambling statistics. Vancouver is not alone in this fight against casinos. Rushing in Queens, New York, home to a predominantly Asian immigrant community, is currently battling a mega casino plan. In Chicago's Chinatown, community members are sounding the alarm over an hourly casino shuttle that targets their Chinese seniors. This is a pattern of predatory targeting by casinos, and Park is doubling down on a business model built on this exploitation. the increased revenue from this expansion the very few jobs and the so-called entertainment value will come directly out of the pockets family stability, and the mental health of our neighbors. The health impact assessment already anticipated that this will have a quote-unquote disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups with revenue concentrated among higher risk players and no amount of money is worth the exploitation of... the most vulnerable people of our communities so please reject this proposal tell hark that vancouver does not need 300 more ways to exploit the most vulnerable residents thank you for your time thank you melody our next speaker is shanna abonitada speaker number 22. evening is there any way we can put this down

Statement Watch

Sorry, I'm just short. I need to see my paper. Thank you so much.

Good evening, council members. My name is Shana Abbonitalia, and I have had the privilege of working at Park Casino for 21 years. I currently served as a unit chair and as part of the bargaining committee representing over 600 unionized members through Unifor Local 3000 at this establishment. I have also represented uniformed members in the hospitality and gaming sector in BC. I am here today to advocate on behalf of my colleagues, friends, and fellow union members who rely on PARC for their livelihoods. Since the onset of COVID pandemic, our casino has faced significant challenges in its recovery, and our members have struggled to regain stability amid rising inflation and living costs in our city. Business levels remain low, and many of our members are not receiving the hours needed to sustain their earnings. This situation threatens their benefits, benefits crucial to the health and well-being of their families. If this application is approved by the council, it will support the maintenance and creation of good jobs for all workers at PARC and in the community. Increased business levels would lead to the greater stability for our members and provide a stronger basis for negotiating a fair contract that benefits all employees. It is important to emphasize that this proposal does not entail a substantial increase in the number of gaming machines. Even with approval, Park will still have fewer machines than other major casinos such as Grand Villa, River Rock, and Cascade Langley. Beyond providing employment, PARC actively contributes to the community and support local charities. The revenue generated by our operations helps BC government maintain essential service and uphold affordability for taxpayers. Approving this application will also encourage a return in-person regulated gaming environments. An increasing number of gamblers are shifting to online platforms, which poses challenges for individuals and society as a whole. It is imperative that we motivate individuals to return to safe, properly regulated casinos such as PARC. On behalf of the workers I represent, I respectfully urge the council to carefully consider these points and to remain vigilant and against the agendas of unrelated third parties who may not prioritize our workers or our community's interest. Thank you for your time and your consideration.

Statement Watch

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Helen. Is Helen on the line? Hello?

yes go ahead fantastic i thank you council for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight my name is helen pahu i'm a resident of vancouver and i'm speaking in favor downtown vancouver is still in recovery we talk constantly about revitalization about foot traffic small business survival and keeping economic activity in the core of vancouver yet When it comes to regulated entertainment capacity, we hesitate. Gambling revenue in British Columbia is already substantial, and it is administered by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation. The demand exists. The spending exists. The question is where that economic activity occurs. Right now, downtown has one major venue, Park Vancouver. When it reaches capacity, especially after major events at Rogers Arena, that spending leaves the downtown core. It goes to other municipalities. It goes online. It leaves restaurants, taxis, hotels, and surrounding businesses without the spillover benefits. 300 additional machines are not about expanding gambling culture. They're about capacity. They're about keeping dollars circulating in Vancouver's economy. More in-person activity means more hospitality jobs, more foot traffic for nearby businesses, more municipal revenue, and stronger post-event economic retention. If we are serious about downtown vibrancy, we cannot ignore the economic ecosystem around regulated entertainment venues. The demand is already here. The spending is already happening. question is whether Vancouver captures it or sends it elsewhere. Thank you for your time. I really appreciate it.

Statement Watch

Thank you for calling in this evening. Our next speaker is speaker number 24, Bruno Clapsy. Is Bruno here in person? Oh, just coming in. Good evening, Bruno. You're going to be using the podium over here to your left by right. Good evening.

Madam Chairman, councillors, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Bruno Clazzi. I live in Coquitlam, but I have a place in Vancouver. Regarding casino tonight when I came in, I was quite surprised, not really surprised. I was expecting sugar and honey. casino. That's the reason I put a hat on so you don't see my hair standing up. I was thinking about the benefit for a casino. Then I thought, there's no reason for me to think about it. Only a few years ago, it was all in the paper, what benefit we get from casino. Well, that's what I said. I said, They're preying on vulnerable. They money launder with bags, $20 bills. They make drug deals in casinos. They're hurting cohesion of certain families. So these were the benefits. If you think that were good benefits, I don't think so. And it's all in newspaper. It's not coming out of my head. It's all in newspaper. If you go back maybe five or six years, it's all in the newspapers. Who will benefit? Oh, the council get a little bit more money for the taxes and all that. And maybe the casino will give some money to charities so they can get a better return on their tax dollars. And the rest of the money, the way that it goes, it goes into oligarchs' pockets. Not the ordinary people, not the ordinary people. It would be better if you rent that space to some associations. a reasonable rent. That would do more for the community than casinos. I was thinking about also, I was thinking about my heritage and why I'm here. And I said, there must be pretty good people, my heritage, because I'm here now. Because only 2,000 years ago, in the land of Israel, they condemned the gambling. There's no difference today. We are the same people. We don't need to raise our ears and drink to our eyes. We are still the same people. So if my heritage or my forefathers thought that gambling is no good at that time, what makes us think it's good now? I don't think so. I don't have much to say. The only thing I have to say is that I oppose the casino and expansion on the beliefs that I already mentioned. And another thing I say, why do we want more casinos? We got enough casinos now. We might as well put at the border, welcome to Las Vegas. We don't need these money casinos. We got enough casinos. Thank you for your time.

Statement Watch

Thank you very much for coming in this evening. Our last registered speaker, speaker number 25, Stephen Bohus.

Hi, can you hear me?

Yes, we can. Go ahead, Stephen.

Okay. Thank you. Good evening, Council, and thank you for this opportunity to speak. I live in Vancouver, and I'm opposed to the casino expansion. I'm in solidarity with the Unite Here 40 local opposition, and I stand with the chief medical officer in opposition. I was here, actually, in the council chambers to the day... 15 years ago and spoke against the proposed casino expansion at that time. And I actually thought that the debate on the casino expansion was completely settled. There was like widespread opposition. There seems to be a loss of institutional memory and the staff assigned to this rezoning were unfortunately not available or not around at that time for the previous casino battle because a lot of the things are coming up again. But back in 2011, there was an in-person open house or staff presentations or the Q&A. And now there was just a mere low-key online-only consultation that really didn't capture a lot of the feedback. And I actually don't believe that the due process was followed in the change to the moratorium on the casino expansion back in 2024 because a staff report relaying a request from the BCLC was put on the council agenda. There wasn't a proper consultation back then, and that was a significant change, and related to this moratorium. So I think that was already not done properly. But since 2011, important research about the role of casinos and money laundering was released, and this includes Sam Cooper's book, Willful Blindness, that's now in multiple editions, and I've read the book, and I would highly recommend Council read Willful Blindness first before reading. making a decision because there's key information in there. As the previous speaker noted, PARC may be actually considering flipping the property and the increase in the number of slot machines could be used to increase possible sales value. PARC has fallen behind on payments to the city and I think that's really key in terms of looking at how well this partnership has gone and hasn't gone very well. Gambling doesn't really benefit communities. It tears them apart. The harms and addiction far outweigh any gains. Casinos enable money laundering. As the previous speaker noted, the slot machines specifically target Chinese seniors in the pickups by their buses and the advertising. It exploits vulnerable residents, and it actually sucks money out of the pockets of Vancouver residents. It's not a net gain. It's a net loss. It's not worth it. Some people lose everything. The house always wins, and Vancouver ends up losing. So any increase in the slot machine count will increase harms. And we actually really need to limit the ability of gambling and not expand it. So for the reasons that I stated in 2011 in opposing this casino and everything that we know since then, It was a really big mistake to allow the relocation in the casino, to allow a casino to be built, to allow for floor space for additional slot machines, which shouldn't have been permitted under the development permit phase. And now we're back here debating expanding this casino. Council, please turn this down. It's an election year. This should go to the electorate, and it should be turned down. There was a widespread consensus against the casino across all the parties. back in 2011, so please vote no. Thank you.

Statement Watch

Thank you, Stephen, for calling in this evening. That brings us to the end of our registered speakers list, but I am going to check and see if there's any additional speakers in chamber. I understand that we may have a speaker in person. Faye Tala, are you here? You're going to be using the podium to your left, my right. And just a reminder, you need to note if you're a resident of Vancouver, if you're speaking in favor or opposition. I'm a resident of Vancouver.

Good evening, Mayor and Council. My name is Faye Tala. I am a resident of the city of Vancouver. I'm opposed to this proposal. We don't need expanded gambling that enriches private investors while increasing social harms for our community. Park reports that they intend to focus on gamblers first, which means increasing revenue from comms gamblers. Does that mean that the rest of us will have to shoulder the burden of British social impacts related to addiction and crime? About 5% of players with problem gambling generate one-third of gambling revenues in BC, where some of those problem gamblers, people with low incomes and seniors over the age of 65, are disproportionately at risk. The city report estimates that another 6,000 future patrons could be at risk of problem gambling if expansion is approved at PARC. In the city, going to settle for nickels and dimes while PARC makes millions of... of more problems gamblers. We shouldn't give away so much to parks, owners with so little in return. Vancouver residents told council some years back that they didn't want to see expansion of gambling in the city because of the social harms that come with it. Why is council ignoring what the people wanted? Instead, council allowed this proposal to come forward anyway. I think the cause outweigh the benefits, and I urge you to vote no. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight.

Statement Watch

Thank you for your comments this evening. Are there any other speakers in chambers or out in the lobby? I'll come up to the podium, please, and just state your name, if you're a resident, or if you're in favor or opposition.

you my name is Angela brain I was resident of Vancouver for 13 years just live just outside of Vancouver but I still own a rented property in Vancouver I'm here to speak in support of the application while recognizing our team of more than 700 casino professionals who provide a safe and welcoming environment for both residents and visitors in Vancouver Many of Park Casino's associates have worked five to 30 years at Park or previous casinos in Vancouver. We have a vested interest in maintaining a healthy, long-term relationship with residents, businesses, sports teams, and charities in our community. Pat Davis from BCLC spoke about Vancouver residents who choose to place slots in neighboring cities that offer almost twice as many slot machines. Five lower mainline casinos have from 920 to 1,300 slot machines. Park Casino will still have fewer slot machines than those five casinos, but will be able to offer more choices to those residents that choose to visit other casinos because their favorite machine may be taken or may not be available when they choose to visit. Our casino is unique with its location downtown due to surges of visitors after arena events. We attract many sports fans and concert goers through our complimentary amenities such as multiple restaurants, lounges, and hotels on site. Our casino is a place to meet and connect before going to arenas and a place to continue the fun after events. Many of these post-event visitors and tourists are interested in slot machines, but on these busy event nights, they might not be available because of the surge in guests, and there isn't any selection. We see this as a missed opportunity. If approved, the city will benefit from both the increased host government share of gaming revenues in addition to a 50% increase in the Social Responsibility Fund contributions. The Social Responsibility Fund, which is also unique to the city of Vancouver, it increased from $200,000 when it was the previous Edgewater Casino to $600,000 annually when Park opened its doors in September of 2017. The payments were paused when the casino was closed for 16 months during COVID. During this time, Park earned no gaming revenue, and many of our employees were not able to work. But after the casino reopened, City Council approved a payment plan in July of 2022 where 100% of the $600,000 annual social responsibility payments would still be paid. Park Casino has followed through with that agreement to honour its commitment. So just in closing, just like to say thank you for the opportunity to express support of the application, and thank you for everyone with an interest in expressing their comments. They are heard. Thank you.