Friday, the province of British Columbia posted a public letter announcing an end to the subsidies for Hastings Racecourse as of Jan 31, 2026. Apparently, the decision was precipitated by the industry’s request for even more public money than it has been receiving (millions annually). The joyous upshot: This, coupled with the announcement in August that the property housing Fraser Downs (harness) was being reclaimed by the city of Surrey for redevelopment (housing, a hospital, public spaces, etc.), almost certainly means the end of horseracing in B.C. And that, folks, is the definition of moral progress.
The full text of the letter:
“[E]ven with significant and ongoing government investment from casino-generated revenue, the industry is not sustainable because of a range of factors, primarily declining revenues and public participation and attendance at horse racing events.” Exactly.
Now, we need the first domino to fall here in the States – something we are actively working toward – for as the Daily Racing Form points out: “Racing throughout North America is heavily reliant on subsidies from casinos, including in major racing states like Kentucky, New York, and Florida.”
B C`s re-development to a hospital & housing as well as green space able to be used by all seems a much higher purpose use of the land than just racing tracks. Good for their govt. in realizing that tax payer subsidies to a no longer popular gamboling business is best.
Well, I feel awful for the horses if the owners decide to let their horses starve to death or something like that because they can’t be raced in their local area.
Of course, the lives of the horses are at risk of fatal injuries everyday in racing so it gets ugly either way.
And it can’t happen soon enough. The last few days of North American racing -and even internationally – has been riddled with horses falling, “collapsing”, injured (and most likely dead from what I saw), “equine ambulanced”, and dying ( as in the VERY public death of a horse at Woodbine). Kudos to Patrick’s team for the tireless work in being advocates for the horses!
That really is heartening news. It’s an example of a government taking a hard, principled look at an entrenched system and choosing public good over inertia. The fact that B.C. not only ended the subsidies but did so in the face of demands for more funding makes the shift feel even more significant like a genuine turning of the tide.
And the broader ripple effect you’re describing is encouraging, too. When one major jurisdiction demonstrates that racing can’t survive without constant public bailouts, it exposes the fragility of the industry everywhere. If B.C.’s move helps set a precedent, it could give U.S. policymakers the political cover they need to reassess those massive casino-driven subsidies.
It really does feel like a moment of moral progress and a reminder that meaningful change often starts with one bold decision.