For most of the year, Exhibition Place is a series of wide throughfares and empty spaces. But come late August, it transforms into the Canadian National Exhibition with rides, food and gambling.
Since 1991, the CNE has operated a temporary casino as part of the festivities. Now, a new report by the Exhibition Place CEO to its Board of Governors says gambling during the fair is fine, but “introducing new casino opportunities may lead to adverse public health and community impacts.”
“I think Ontario is well supplied with casinos,” said CEO Don Boyle. “You’ve got Woodbine, you got them in the east end, now you got them to the north, you got them out of the Niagara Falls area. So, there’s a well-supplied industry in Ontario. Exhibition Place, I think, doesn’t need to really get into that one.”
More than a dozen years ago, Toronto wrestled with the idea of a new site for a casino. In 2013, the area encompassing Exhibition Place was identified as a potential location, but polling found that 61 per cent of respondents opposed a casino. They cited concerns related to social problems, while another 17 per cent identified crime as their primary concern. In May of that year, City Council voted against allowing the establishment of any new gaming sites within Toronto.
CityNews found there is little appetite today among Torontonians for more places to gamble.
“Maybe my wife would enjoy it, but no. We have enough vices in the city that we can have fun,” said one person.
“I don’t think any place needs any new casinos at all, to be honest,” said another. “I think that gambling is kind of pretty messed up, right? I believe that it’s one of the worst drugs possibly out there.”
Even the casino version at the Ex, with lower limits than regular casinos, faces opposition.
“I don’t agree with that,” said one woman. “I just think that there’s just enough addiction in this world. I don’t think we need to add to it.”
Studies continue to show the potential harm from gambling. In 2024, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reported that nearly 70 per cent of adults in Ontario participated in gambling activities. Toronto Public Health noted as far back as 2012 that problem gambling is associated with a range of negative impacts on physical and mental health.
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