On ‘suicide watch,’ Harness Racing BC asks gov’t to stop Fraser Downs closure

The president of Harness Racing BC is calling on the provincial government to stop the closure of Fraser Downs. 

A letter from Kelly MacMillan, dated Aug. 22, was sent to Surrey MLAs Amna Shah, Jagrup Brar, Jessie Sunner, Gerry Begg, Trevor Halford, Mandeep Dhaliwal, Elenore Sturko and Linda Hepner. 

MacMillan is asking for the province to step in and “stand with Surrey families and the commitments made to them.” 

“The abrupt closure of harness racing at Fraser Downs is not a minor operational change. It is a crisis for families, workers, and businesses in Surrey, and it is a breach of the public trust on which expanded gaming in this province was built,” MacMillan said.

“People are losing their jobs and their homes. Small businesses built around racing have lost their anchor. Some individuals are already on suicide watch.” 

A March 2024 corporate report from the City of Surrey “tied the Host Financial Assistance Agreement, which delivered 10% of net gaming income to the City, to the racetrack site itself. At the same time, the Province earmarked a share of slot revenue for horse racing,” MacMillian said. 

“This decision did not fall from the sky. It was enabled by choices at both the City and Provincial level, choices that are now leaving hundreds of Surrey residents without income or security. And it raises urgent questions that you, as Surrey MLAs, must answer.” 

The letter included eleven questions for the MLAs in connection to the closures. 

MacMillan notes that the casino was allegedly never meant to stand alone but was created to sustain horse racing in B.C. 

“It was created for the express purpose of sustaining horse racing in British Columbia,” MacMillan said. “The City benefits from revenues justified by that purpose. The Province benefits from revenues justified by that purpose. Great Canadian benefits from revenues justified by that purpose. The only ones who are losing are the workers and families who were promised stability and protection.” 

The Now-Leader has reached out to the communications team for the B.C. NDP MLA’s, Conservative Party of BC MLA’s and the City of Surrey but did not hear back by press time. This story will be updated if we do.