Camrose casino gets go ahead for south Edmonton relocation

A controversial casino has been approved for south Edmonton.

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Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis announced the decision on Thursday, saying the relocation will support businesses, create jobs and have "minimal" impact on charities supported by Edmonton casinos.

"AGLC has a key responsibility to be a direct contributor to provincial revenue," AGLC said in a press release. "This relocation will result in significant additional revenue for the Government of Alberta which in turn contributes to the foundational services that Albertans rely on."

The casino's first application was denied in November 2022. A new application, with some modifications, was accepted in January. 

The Camrose casino will maintain its rural licence, meaning charitable earnings will go to charities in the Camrose and St. Albert casino regions.

AGLC expects it to generate around $19 million in new gaming revenue from the Edmonton market.

Gemma Dunn, of the Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations, said the five-per-cent reduction projected by AGLC will have a significant impact on local groups.

"The number of people served in an urban area versus a rural area means that any loss of funding to Edmonton charities creates a strain on the system, because we're seeing such increases in people requiring to use our services," she said.

Residents near Parsons Road have also raised concerns over the increase in traffic they believe the casino will have, and Edmonton city council drafted a letter this summer formally opposing the move.

According to Rural Municipalities Alberta, the casino's current location brings in the least revenue among charitable casinos in Alberta, with charities waiting upwards of two years to hold events.

"(For) some of these smaller rural charities, this is life and death," said RMA president Paul McLauchlin. "This funding can decide whether or not a charity even can exist for the next two or three fiscal years."

In August, RMA encouraged members to support the application, citing a significant increase in revenue for rural charities. 

Both Edmonton city council and RMA have called on the province to review the charitable gaming model to decrease inequities and make Alberta charities less reliant on gambling income.

"There's fundamental changes that need to occur to the system," he said. "The model really is to support charitable organizations so they're less reliable on these key decisions."

AGLC said a review into the model has been underway since 2021.

The 88,000-square-foot facility is expected to take between 19 and 24 months for construction. It will house 498 slot machines, 25 games tables and eight poker tables.

The Camrose Casino declined to speak with CTV News Edmonton.