Camrose casino gets go ahead for south Edmonton relocation
A controversial casino has been approved for south Edmonton.
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's response to Trump deportation plan a key focus of revived cabinet committee
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's promise to launch a mass deportation of millions of undocumented people has the Canadian government looking at its own border.
Who should lead the Liberals? 'None of the above,' poll finds
As questions loom over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, a new Nanos Research poll commissioned for CTV News says a quarter of Canadians say none of the potential candidates appeal to them.
New technology solves mystery of late First World War soldier's flower sent home to Canada
In 1916, Harold Wrong plucked a flower from the fields of Somme, France and tucked it into a letter he mailed home to Toronto. For decades, the type of flower sent remained a mystery.
U.S. election maps: How did 2024 compare to 2020 and 2016?
Though two states have yet to be officially called, the U.S. election map has mostly been settled. How does it compare with the previous two elections?
Canada rent report: What landlords are asking tenants to pay
Average asking rents declined nationally on a year-over-year basis for the first time in more than three years in October, said a report out Thursday.
N.S. school 'deeply sorry' for asking service members not to wear uniforms at Remembrance Day ceremony
An elementary school in the Halifax area has backed away from a request that service members not wear uniforms to the school's Remembrance Day ceremony.
Remembrance Day: What's open and closed in Canada?
While banks and post offices will be closed nationwide on Remembrance Day, shops and businesses could be open depending on where you live in Canada.
Judicial recount for Surrey-Guildford confirms B.C. NDP's majority
The B.C. New Democrats have a majority government of 47 seats after a judicial recount in the riding of Surrey-Guildford gave the party's candidate 22 more votes than the provincial Conservatives.
48,584 space heaters recalled in Canada after burn injury in U.S.
Health Canada has announced a recall for electric space heaters over potential fire and burn risks, a notice published Thursday reads.