Another harness-racing season has begun in New Brunswick, but there are fears it could be the last.
After years of uncertainty, the provincial government pulled $600,000 in funding. As a result, Jeff Malloy of Horse Racing New Brunswick says they have had to reduce racing schedules this year.
“We’ve reduced down to 37 race dates in the province of New Brunswick this year,” says Malloy. “Thirty-seven race dates is the bare minimum to maintain the program.”
Malloy says the reduction is pushing the industry, which employs more than 1,000 people, to the brink.
“We were hoping to have some solutions in place by now but unfortunately we’re facing a difficult season.”
Industry officials admit harness racing has been on shaky ground for some time, but the loss of government funding has compounded the problem.
“It kind of put everything into a fast-forward mode and it just…it’s that way right now,” says trainer Rick DeWolfe. “We’re going day-to-day. It’s just an industry right now where it’s hurting.”
The industry says a multi-purpose gaming and sporting venue – similar to the Red Shores Racetrack and Casino on Prince Edward Island – could salvage harness racing in New Brunswick.
“What’s needed is an overall plan, a facility, either (in Fredericton) or Saint John and a viable plan, for instance, like Charlottetown-Summerside have,” says trainer Sandra Foley.
“We’re hoping that the provincial government will look at it and see what the Prince Edward Island government has done and, that way, move forward and look at Nova Scotia and New Brunswick as an Atlantic project,” says Malloy.
However, the province says Casino New Brunswick in Moncton holds exclusive gaming facility rights until 2018.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell
