Anglais

Toronto, other cities say costs of legal cannabis will leave them millions of dollars short

Published

6 années ago

décembre 16, 2018

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Toronto Mayor John Tory, who heads Ontario’s largest municipality, said the staff has estimated cannabis legalization will put the city on the hook for “tens of millions of dollars” in additional policing, paramedic, fire, public health and other costs.

“And the number that they said they were going to give us was, I guess, we get $3 million,” and a similar amount after that, said Tory, whose council voted Thursday to allow cannabis stores to open shop in the city starting April 1. Late Thursday, the province announced it would only issue 25 licences across Ontario for business at first, blaming national supply issues.

“It clearly is not enough to cover all our costs.”

Tory said in an interview the city’s position has been that the provincial and federal governments should pick up all of Toronto’s extra cannabis expenditures.

“We didn’t change the law (federally) and we didn’t set up the regulatory regime provincially,” he said. “Therefore property taxpayers should not bear this cost.”

Under current plans, municipalities will share — on a per-household basis — in the $40-million Ontario Cannabis Legalization Implementation Fund, set up to offset their pot-related costs over the next two years.

The fund, which will ensure that even the smallest municipality gets at least $5,000, was sliced from a $100-million grant the province received from Ottawa to help transition into the legal pot era.

Municipalities thatallow cannabis stores to open shop will get another similar grant later in 2019.

After that two-year period, municipalities will share half of any revenues generated by Ontario’s portion of the federal excise duty, should these exceed a total of $100 million over the next two years, provincial finance ministry spokesperson Scott Blodgett said in an email.

“We would like to be very clear … municipalities must use this funding to address the costs that directly relate to the legalization of recreational cannabis,” Blodgett said.

These would include any increased enforcement costs for police and public health and court agencies, he said.

Blodgett said the provincial funds would also partially cover costs related to increased use of 311 phone inquiry lines, fire and paramedic services as well as cannabis-related training for municipal workers.

In addition to excise revenues, Ontario will keep its standard 8-per-cent portion of the federal/provincial HST charged on online and store sales. The size of this cannabis pot will depend on the number of stores that eventually open across the province, Blodgett said.

“Provincial tax revenue is directed to the Consolidated Revenue Fund and is used to meet the priority needs of Ontario families such as health care, education and infrastructure,” he said.

Read more:

Mississauga says no to cannabis

Toronto opts in

More distance urged between shops, schools

But Blodgett said that only municipalities that opted to allow pot stores will be eligible for any of the provincial funding beyond the initial payment. Municipalities have until Jan. 22 to say no to the stores, otherwise they must allow them in any number and almost any location that retail is permitted. (The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario will have sole discretion over the number and placement of the stores, which can’t be within 250 metres of schools.)

King Township Mayor Steve Pellegrini said the relative pittance smaller municipalities would get from the province in the per-household formula is one of the main reasons he rejected stores.

“We’ve got 9,000 households in … the largest municipality in terms of area” in York region, Pellegrini said. “We have more roads and everything to patrol, but with a very limited population, and I would get next to zero,” said Pellegrini, whose council voted unanimously to reject the stores.

He said the $5,000 minimum the province will give all municipalities — the only payment his opted-out community will receive — is “a joke” and would not put a dent in any town’s extra cannabis costs. “That’s insulting. That’s not going to get me anything.”

Toronto police spokesperson Caroline de Kloet said the force is still calculating what its increased cannabis costs might be.

But just north of the city, the numbers have been crunched. York Regional Police estimated those costs would soar to some $7.7 million annually by 2021, said Jeffrey Channell, manager of financial services.

That would amount to $6.41 for each region resident for police services alone, Channell said, adding that many of the estimates were based on research in Colorado and Washington state, where cannabis has been legally sold for nearly five years.

But current provincial funding for all of the region’s increased cannabis costs over the next two years — including to public health and paramedic services — is only $1.40 annually per person, he said.

The force’s increased spending would arise out of some 26 changes and requirements brought on by legalized cannabis. These include roadside testing and its required equipment; increases in criminal and motor vehicle accident investigations; a team to combat any ongoing black market sales; and a new impaired-driving co-ordinator.

Colorado and Washington research suggests the main front-line policing impacts “are around impaired driving, traffic stops, seizures, drug violations, increases in motor vehicle collisions and injured persons,” he said.

Channell said tax revenues in Washington state were much higher than expected and that the federal and provincial governments might have much more money to pass down to the municipalities than currently anticipated.

That state’s $460-million (U.S.) cannabis revenues last year would translate into $3 billion (Canadian) over this country’s population if similar sales levels were seen here, he said.

“That’s three times any official Canadian estimate of excise taxes.”

But Channell said every significant police organization in the country — including the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police — has advocated for proper cannabis-related funding from senior governments.

York police Chief Eric Jolliffe said the region’s property tax base should not be responsible for any extra costs for his force.

“Both the federal and provincial governments are collecting revenues from the sale of cannabis and we have been repeatedly assured we will receive funding to help offset these costs,” Jolliffe said in an email. “As of now, we have only received a small fraction of the costs we have incurred for up-front training.”

In fairness, Tory said, many of the estimated cost hikes for police and other services may never materialize.

“For example, the volume of (311) phone calls we’re receiving at the moment is lower than expected,” he said, adding that expected increases in 911 calls have also failed to materialize.

“I’m prepared to have a little while where we actually see what the experience is. But I think it’s safe to say that as of this moment, the money they have committed to us is less than whatever our costs will be.”

Tory said estimates of extra pot costs the city would face would be above and beyond those the force incurred while policing and prosecuting cannabis crimes during prohibition, which ended Oct. 17.

Association of Municipalities of Ontario president Jamie McGarvey figures any money is better than none, but says civic leaders should monitor their cannabis-related costs closely.

“We’re going to be dealing with (any fallout costs) anyway so my own personal feeling is we’re better to opt in, because at least we’ll get some extra funding,” said McGarvey, who is also mayor of Parry Sound.

McGarvey — whose group helped lead negotiations over the funding split with the province under the former Liberal government — said Queen’s Park held all the cards during those talks.

“I think we tried to get as much as we could for the municipalities but that is totally on the call of the province,” he said. “They’re the ones controlling the pot, no pun intended.”

Tory said that in talks, the province has shown some sympathy for the idea the municipalities should not bear the bulk of extra costs. “They have accepted the principle that we shouldn’t be put to a lot of extra expense.”

Tory said municipalities have no way to force the province to up the ante, besides dogged lobbying.

“I’m not going to be satisfied with hope,” he said. “But my plan B would be to continue advocating,”

Joseph Hall is a Toronto-based reporter covering cannabis. Reach him on email: gjhall@thestar.ca

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Anglais

Nostalgia and much more with Starburst XXXtreme

Published

3 années ago

août 10, 2021

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Get a taste of adventure with Starburst XXXtreme based on the legendary NetEnt Game. The nostalgic themes are sure to capture fans of the classic version as they get treated to higher intensity, better visuals, and features. The most significant element of the game is its volatility. Patience will not be an essential virtue considering the insane gameplay, and there is a lot of win potential involved. It retains the original makeup of the previous game while adding a healthy dose of adrenaline.

Starburst Visuals and Symbols

The game is definitely more conspicuous than before. The setting happens over a 5-reel, 3-row game grid with nine fixed win lines, which function if a succession from the left to the right reel is present. Only those players that that attain the highest win per bet line are paid. From a visual standpoint, the Starburst XXXtreme slots illustrates lightning effects behind the reels, which is not surprising as it is inherited from the original version. Available themes include Classic, Jewels, and Space. The game is also available in both desktop and mobile versions, which is advantageous for players considering the global pandemic. According to Techguide, American gamers are increasingly having more engaging gaming experiences to socialize to fill the gap of in-person interaction. Starburst XXXtreme allows them to fill the social void at a time when there is so much time to be had indoors.

Starburst XXXTreme Features

Players get to alternate on three features which are Starburst Wilds, XXXtreme Spins, and Random Wilds. The first appears on reels 2,3, or 4. When these land, they expand to cover all positions while also calculating the wins. They are also locked for a respin. If a new one hits, it also becomes locked while awarding another respin. Starburst XXXtreme offers a choice between two scenarios for a higher stake. In one scenario with a ten times stake, the Starburst Wild is set on random on reels 2,3, or 4, and a multiplier starts the respin. The second scenario, which has a 95 times stake, starts with two guaranteed starburst wilds on reels 2,3, or 4. it also plays out using respin game sequence and features. The game also increases the potential with the Random Wilds feature to add Starburst Wilds to a vacant reel at the end of a spin. Every Starburst Wild gives a random multiplier with potential wins of x2, x3, x5, x10, x25, x50, x100, or even x150.

The new feature is sure to be a big hit with the gaming market as online gambling has shown significant growth during the lockdown. AdAge indicates the current casino customer base is an estimated one in five Americans, so Starburst XXXtreme’s additional features will achieve considerable popularity.

What We Think About The Game

The gambling market has continued to diversify post-pandemic, so it is one of the most opportune times to release an online casino-based game. Thankfully Starburst XXXtreme features eye-catching visuals, including the jewels and space themes. These attract audience participation and make the gameplay inviting. The game also has a nostalgic edge. The previous NetEnt iteration featured similar visuals and gameplay, so the audience has some familiarity with it. The producers have revamped this version by tweaking the features to improve the volatility and engagement.

That is characterized by the potential win cap of 200,000 times the bet. Starburst XXXtreme does not just give betting alternatives for players that want to go big. The increase of multipliers also provides a great experience. If the respins in the previous version were great, knowing that multipliers can go hundreds of times overtakes the game to a new level.

Players should get excited about this offering. All of the features can be triggered within a single spin. Whether one plays the standard game or takes the XXXtreme spin route, it is possible to activate all of the features. Of course, the potential 200,000 times potential is a huge carrot. However, the bet size is probably going to be restricted and vary depending on the casino. It is also worth pointing out that a malfunction during the gameplay will void all of the payouts and progress. Overall, the game itself has been designed to provide a capped win of 200,000 times the original bet.

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Anglais

‘We’re back’: Montreal festival promoters happy to return but looking to next year

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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In downtown Montreal, it’s festival season.

In the city’s entertainment district, a musical act was conducting a sound check on stage Friday evening — the second day of the French-language version of the renowned Just For Laughs comedy festival. Tickets for many of the festival’s free outdoor shows — limited by COVID-19 regulations — were sold out.

Two blocks away, more than 100 people were watching an acoustic performance by the Isaac Neto Trio — part of the last weekend of the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, a celebration of music from the African continent and the African diaspora.

With COVID-19 restrictions continuing to limit capacity, festival organizers say they’re glad to be back but looking forward to next year when they hope border restrictions and capacity limits won’t affect their plans.

Charles Décarie, Just For Laughs’ CEO and president, said this is a “transition year.”

“Even though we have major constraints from the public health group in Montreal, we’ve managed to design a festival that can navigate through those constraints,” Décarie said.

The French-language Juste pour rire festival began on July 15 and is followed by the English-language festival until July 31.

When planning began in February and March, Décarie said, organizers came up with a variety of scenarios for different crowd sizes, ranging from no spectators to 50 per cent of usual capacity.

“You’ve got to build scenarios,” he said. “You do have to plan a little bit more than usual because you have to have alternatives.”

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Anglais

MELS new major movie studio to be built in Montreal

Published

3 années ago

juillet 23, 2021

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MONTREAL — MELS Studios will build a new film studio in Montreal, filling some of the gap in supply to meet the demand of Hollywood productions.

MELS president Martin Carrier said on Friday that MELS 4 studio construction will begin « as soon as possible », either in the fall or winter of next year. The studio could host productions as early as spring 2023.

The total investment for the project is $76 million, with the Quebec government contributing a $25 million loan. The project will create 110 jobs, according to the company.

The TVA Group subsidiary’s project will enable it to stand out « even more » internationally, according to Quebecor president and CEO Pierre Karl Péladeau. In the past, MELS Studios has hosted several major productions, including chapters of the X-Men franchise. The next Transformers movie is shooting this summer in Montreal.

Péladeau insisted that local cultural productions would also benefit from the new facility, adding that the studio ensures foreign revenues and to showcase talent and maintain an industry of Quebec producers.

STUDIO SHORTAGE

The film industry is cramped in Montreal.

According to a report published last May by the Bureau du cinéma et de la télévision du Québec (BCTQ), there is a shortage of nearly 400,000 square feet of studio space.

With the addition of MELS 4, which will be 160,000 square feet, the company is filling part of the gap.

Carrier admitted that he has had to turn down contracts because of the lack of space, representing missed opportunities of « tens of millions of dollars, not only for MELS, but also for the Quebec economy. »

« Montreal’s expertise is in high demand, » said Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, who was present at the announcement.

She said she received great testimonials from « Netflix, Disney, HBO and company » during an economic mission to Los Angeles in 2019.

« What stands out is that they love Montreal because of its expertise, knowledge and beauty. We need more space, like MELS 4, » she said.

There is still not enough capacity in Quebec, acknowledged Minister of Finance, the Economy and Innovation Eric Girard.

« It is certain that the government is concerned about fairness and balance, so if other requests come in, we will study them with the same seriousness as we have studied this one, » he said.

Grandé Studios is the second-largest player in the industry. Last May, the company said it had expansion plans that should begin in 2022. Investissement Québec and Bell are minority shareholders in the company.

For its part, MELS will have 400,000 square feet of production space once MELS 4 is completed. The company employs 450 people in Quebec and offers a range of services including studio and equipment rentals, image and sound postproduction, visual effects and a virtual production platform.