The price for the relocation of the Salon de Jeux was revealed by Lynne Roiter, president of Loto-Québec, on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.
During a meeting of the National Assembly’s public finance committee, the soon-former president revealed that the overall cost of transferring the site to its new Beauport location would be nearly CA$12 million.
The issue has been heavily discussed since last summer, when the Crown corporation and the local government decided to move the gaming hall after an analysis by KPMG. Many options for the gambling hall have been discussed in recent years, but it will now be moved to the Beauport region.
More on the Contract
Ms. Roiter, the president of the Crown agency, announced this week in a National Assembly meeting that the property’s relocation would cost approximately CA$11.9 million. The contract was signed without a public call for bidders, which was the cause of some public concerns in the industry. The gaming venue, which is currently located at the Fleur de Lys shopping center, will be relocated to the Méga Center Beauport.
During the 2018 election campaign, the CAQ was determined about relocating the gaming property within Quebec City. There was also the possibility of opening a brand-new casino. Fleur de Lys, which is owned by the Quebec corporation Trudel Alliance, owns the current location.
André Fortin, the Liberal Party’s assembly leader, asked Minister of Finance Eric Girard about the gaming hall’s relocation. Mr. Girard had to defend the company’s decision to award the new site to Canada Vie of Manitoba. He said that the decision to relocate the gaming hotspot was made on the basis of positive net value rather than building ownership.
The Crown corporation has already relocated the gaming property in question twice since 2014. Since 2007, the property’s relocation costs have totaled more than CA$5 million in moving and expansion expenses. And the most recent change in site is set to take place in November of this year.
Reasoning
Loto-Québec previously stated that the gaming hall’s relocation would be beneficial to the Beauport region because it would bring its premium products to the area. Another big explanation for the relocation is the Crown’s desire to protect the Fleur de Lys population, which is particularly vulnerable. There was also talk of offering extra resources to assist residents who have gambling tendencies.
Local Backlash
Locals, on the other hand, seem to be very unhappy about the Salon de Jeux’s relocation. Back in September 2020, a local organization has come up with a petition against the property’s relocation. The petition has received over 1,100 signatures. Residents believe they are capable of making responsible gambling decisions, and the vulnerability of the community should not be a factor in the venue’s repositioning.
