Slot losses prompt Ontario horse-racing track operator to cut jobs

TORONTO – Ontario’s horse-racing track operator says it’s being forced to slash hundreds of positions to keep pace with a reduction in revenue.

Woodbine Entertainment Group says it’s cutting 109 salaried jobs at its Woodbine and Mohawk Racetracks.

The company says it is also cutting “a significant number” of hourly jobs, converting many roles to seasonal positions and reducing the amount of hourly work available at the tracks.

Woodbine says the cuts come as a result of a drop in the company’s sales.

The company says it’s been losing money ever since the provincial government pulled slot machines owned by the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation from the tracks.

The government says the move will help it combat its rising provincial deficit.