The cancellation of the Slots at Racetracks Program has decimated the Ontario horse racing and breeding industry, with breeders most affected. In this Canadian Thoroughbred article, Ontario breeder John Burness details the threats and difficulties facing the industry, and explains why it is critical for Ontario to maintain its own breeding population of horses.
As Burness points out, breeders have faced dwindling government incentives and receive nothing directly from the purses won by owners. If the current situation does not change, the entire industry will continue to diminish and may disappear completely.
Burness believes that the industry is well worth supporting, as it provides jobs and pumps a significant amount of money into the Provincial economy, much of that spent in rural agricultural communities. He proposes restoring Ontario’s Horse Incentive Program, and says that the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society should manage the Thoroughbred Improvement Program.
