The gaming floor at the brand-new $1B Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto which opened June 20, 2023.
Canada’s largest casino resort in Rexdale has been good for many in the community.
Hundreds of Etobicoke residents have been hired and millions of dollars in gaming revenue dished out to the City of Toronto in the time the Great Canadian Casino Resort has been operating.
More than $26 million in revenue was dished to the City last year; and more than $100 million went to City coffers since the casino was opened.
The casino in a required update to Toronto City Council said of its 1,734 employees, almost 1,100 employees have full time jobs and 638 are working part time at the sprawling facility at 1133 Queens Plate Dr., which includes a 400-room hotel and entertainment complex.
The Rexdale casino resort has 400 rooms and an array of fine dining restaurants.
More than 230 local and 1,200 diversified residents are among the almost 3,000 hired at the former Casino Woodbine since its opening in June 2023, according to the report.
“There are remaining opportunities to continue connecting the local Rexdale community to employment at the casino,” the report said. “Community benefits aim to create inclusive workforce development and other economic opportunities for Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving communities.”
It said $88 million has been spent on 14 suppliers, and $4.6 million to 10 diversified suppliers providing goods or services for the casino.
The casino has more than 1,700 employees with 1,100 working full time and 638 part time.
The casino has taken part in monthly hiring events, conducted community outreach to promote casino hiring opportunities, and participated in quarterly casino hiring information sessions.
It “also made strong efforts to administer equity-focused forms for data tracking purposes,” the report to City Hall said. “Despite these efforts, the local employment hiring target is not currently being achieved.”
In 2023, Casino Woodbine was rebranded as Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto.
The casino provided a Letter of Credit for a $5 million contribution to the City’s Children’s Services Division in 2018 for a future child care centre. It will be connected to a Toronto Community Housing Corporation building unit near the casino and is accessible by public transit.
The casino resort has brought in more than $100 million to City coffers in its five years of operation.
The child care centre will be a three-level space over 10,000 square feet, including 2,265 square feet playground space located on two levels with separate playgrounds for each age group.
The casino plans to make Woodbine Entertainment Complex among the top three urban casino/entertainment resorts in North America. It features top acts including a boxing world championship this month and singers Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani in May.
They plan to lure visitors to extend average stays and increase visitor spending in Toronto, accelerating job and revenue growth across Toronto’s tourism sector.
The casino cost about $1 billion to build and features the most slot machines, gaming on horse races and Vegas style entertainment.
The Casino Resort will continue this year to seek community input on the policy, including outreach with North Etobicoke-based community organizations.
Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto has reported that while the majority of the casino’s mass hiring efforts took place in 2023, there are remaining opportunities to continue connecting the local Rexdale community to employment at the casino.
The casino, is billed as Canada’s largest casino resort, which includes the hotel-resort, 5,000-person entertainment venue, 3,000 slot machines, parkade with 3,800 covered parking spaces and multiple on-site dining options.
The casino is required to work with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto Responsible Gambling Oversight Committee, and the City of Toronto to identify any negative impacts of expanded gaming and implement mitigating measures.