North Bay city councillor Mark King is maintaining his position that the Nipissing District Social Services Administration Board, (DSSAB) which he also chairs, must have a share of the profits that the future North Bay casino will generate.
King says DSSAB produced a study in 2012 that examines the effects a casino will have and he adds it’s well known that communities with casinos have experienced social impacts.
King says as matters stand now, the OLG and the City of North Bay are the sole recipients of the casino profits “yet the surrounding communities will face the cost of the social impact”.
King believes this scenario puts the DSSAB in the forefront to ask for a fair share of the profits.
King says if people end up gambling instead of buying food this creates a big problem in the district.
He says something is needed to level the playing field so that the member municipalities that make up the DSSAB are treated fairly.
“If in fact the social issues kick up and there are large costs that are incurred at the DSSAB’s end, somebody is going to have to pay,” King said.
King says if the board fails to get a share of the profits, the only other alternative is for the DSSAB to increase the tax levies to the member communities to offset the increased social impact costs he says the casino will create.