A group representing downtown Ottawa businesses is lobbying the city to build and operate a casino in its neighbourhood.

Gerry Lepage, executive director of the Bank Street Business Improvement Area, sent a letter to Mayor Larry O'Brien in April arguing that a casino would bring in new revenues without a tax increase.

Gerry Lepage, executive director of the Bank Street Business Improvement Association, says a casino will bring the city revenue without raising taxes.Gerry Lepage, executive director of the Bank Street Business Improvement Association, says a casino will bring the city revenue without raising taxes.
(CBC)

"A casino is probably one of the singular most lucrative projects that could produce the revenue streams that would be needed to address or at least mitigate the budgetary gaps that the city is experiencing and will continue to experience," said Lepage.

He added that council approved a similar project for Sparks Street in the late 1980s, but it never ended up being built. That caused Ontario gamblers to spend their money in Quebec, at Gatineau's Lac Leamy casino, which accounts for a third of the Outaouais region's tourism revenues, Lepage argued.

Lepage said an Ottawa casino would complement the one in Gatineau. "I think the private sector thoroughly believes in competition and … that another casino would be good for the competitive landscape."

He added that the revenues will help fund programs for gambling addicts in Ontario.

If Ottawa council approves the proposal, it would still need to ask for special permission from Ontario to lift a cap on the number of casinos in the province. If Ottawa council approves the proposal, it would still need to ask for special permission from Ontario to lift a cap on the number of casinos in the province.
(CBC)

Mayor Larry O'Brien told reporters Wednesday that the group met with him about a month ago and he supports their proposal.

"I think it's a great idea," he said. "Since 70 per cent of revenues that are generated by the casino over in Hull is coming from residents of Ottawa, I saw it as an obvious opportunity to perhaps repatriate some of that money."

Even if the city approved the casino proposal, it would still need to ask for special permission from Ontario to lift a cap on the number of casinos in the province.

The province announced this week that it will not provide $13 million in extra money that Ottawa says it needs for services required by provincial law, leaving the city with a budget shortfall.