G3 February 2013
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Report CANADA FROM SEA TO SEA Having delivered an in-depth US gaming market study in 2012, G3 kicks off the New Year with a comprehensive look at the Canadian market that covers each of the 10 provinces in rich detail. The gaming industry in Canada is worth continue to enjoy the full range of around $15.1bn and has more than entertainment options that the industry tripled in size over the last 15 years and can provide.” today supports more than 128,000 full time jobs and around 283,000 indirect The Criminal Code of Canada is the legal jobs. foundation for all gaming in Canada and was enacted back in 1892. It states that It generates $12.5bn in labour force most forms of gambling are illegal except income and $8.7bn annually to fund for pari-mutuel racetrack betting and government programmes and is actually games of chance giving each province the the highest earning sector in the Canadian control of determining the frequency of entertainment industry. these activities. The biggest income generator is the In 1910 an amendment was added and casino industry with an $8.3bn share this included more specific and limited followed by the lottery with $3.9bn, VLTs exceptions which enabled a) the with $2.7bn, bingo with $601m and pari- government of a province to conduct and mutuel betting with $429m. manage a lottery scheme in that province and b) a charitable or religious Meanwhile the division between organisation to obtain a licence which is provinces in terms of gaming income is issued by the Lieutenant Governor in led by Ontario 35.8% and followed by Council of a province if the proceeds are Quebec 18.8%, Alberta 16.4%, British used for charitable or religious purposes. Columbia 13.5%, Manitoba 4.8%, Saskatchewan 4.8%, Nova Scotia 2.6%, In 1969 a further amendment authorised New Brunswick 1.6%, Newfoundland lotteries and sweepstakes whilst provinces and Labrador 1.4% and finally Prince were given the authority to licence and Edward Island with the smallest share of operate lotteries and casinos. In 1979 the 0.3%. lotteries came exclusively under provincial authority. Although recent growth has not been as rapid, primarily due to industry maturity Coming home second and the economic crisis, the Canadian Canada is a north American country Gaming Association believes there is still made up of 10 provinces and three great potential for the future. Several territories, which are then often grouped provinces such as British Columbia, into four main regions – Western Canada, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Central Canada, Atlantic Canada and Prince Edward Island, even saw double Northern Canada. It is the world’s second digit revenue increases this year. largest country by total area (after Russia) and has the world’s longest land border President and CEO of the CGA, Bill Rutsey with the US. said: “Future growth will be tied into both the creation of new products for specific It extends from the North Atlantic Ocean demographics and the strength of the in the east to the North Pacific Ocean on overall economy. While this assessment the west and from the Arctic Ocean in the points to overall stabilisation, given the north to its land border in the south. The willingness of operators to respond to the land is slightly larger than the US and it market demands and changing consumer shares a 8,893 km border with the US tastes, I’m confident that Canadians will including 2,477 km with Alaska. February 2013 PAGE 100 Report CANADA February 2013 PAGE 101 Report CANADA Canada has around 31,700 large lakes and eight distinct forest regions whilst the highest point is Mount Logan at 5,959 metres. There are 10 provinces - Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan . Plus there are three territories – Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon. For thousands of years this land was inhabited by various Aboriginal people and the name Canada comes from the St Lawrence Iroquoian word Kanata which means ‘village’ or ‘settlement’. It is said this word was used by the indigenous inhabitants to direct French explorer Jacques Cartier to the village of Stadacona and he later used this word for the entire region. In the late 15th century the British and French Colonial expeditions explored the lands and later settled here on the Atlantic coast. France however ceded almost all its colonies in North America to Britain in 1763 after the Seven Years War and the area was split into two British colonies – Upper Canada and Lower Canada. Then in 1867 with the union of three British North American colonies the Canadian Confederation proclaimed Canada as a federal dominion which was initially made up of four provinces – Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick – and later assumed control of further territories. The Great Depression of the early 1930s brought great economic hardship to Canada whilst many elements of the welfare state were introduced in the 1940s and 1950s. However post war saw Canada boom with economic growth which led to the emergence of a new Canadian identity, official bilingualism plus a series of social democratic programmes introduced such as Medicare, pension plans and student loans. New immigrants mainly settle in Toronto Canada has one of industrial one. The service industry today and Vancouver. the highest per employs around three quarters of the The most densely populated part of the capita immigration workforce. country is Quebec City and some 80 per Today, Canada is a federal state with a rates in the world cent of the population live in urban areas population of around 34 million which which is driven by The country is one of a few developed concentrated in Quebec City-Windsor has developed in parallel with the US on economic policy nations that are net exporters of energy. Corridor, the British Columbian Lower an economic and technological level. It and family Atlantic Canada has vast offshore deposits Mainland and the Calgary-Edmonton has an advanced economy and is the reunification and of natural gas and Alberta also has oil and Corridor in Alberta. Around four fifths of world’s 11th largest economy and relies was aiming for gas resources whilst the Athabasca oil the population live within 150km of the heavily upon its natural resources and 240-265,000 new sands have given Canada the world’s US border. international trade, particularly with the permanent second largest proven oil reserves. Other US. residents in 2012. agricultural supplies include wheat, Canada has one of the highest per capita New immigrants canola and grains whilst Canada is also a immigration rates in the world which is In the past century Canada has seen its mainly settle in producer of zinc and uranium, gold, driven by economic policy and family manufacturing, mining and service Toronto and nickel and aluminium. reunification and was aiming for 240- sectors grow and transform the country Vancouver. 265,000 new permanent residents in 2012. from a largely rural economy to an Canada’s per capita income is the ninth February 2013 PAGE 102 Report CANADA Canada: Vital Statistics Population: 34,300,083 Land Area: 9,984,670 sq.km Median age: 41.2 years Languages: English (58%), French (21%), Ethnic Groups: British Isles Origin (28%), French origin (23%), European (15%), Amerindian (2%), other/mixed (32%). Currency: Canadian dollars (CAD) Government: Parliamentary democracy, a federation and a constitutional monarchy Chief of State: Queen Elizabeth II represented by Gov. General David Johnston highest in the world whilst nominal GDP in fact emerged from the crisis among the Tourism in 2010 Head of Government: Prime Minister in 2011 was $1.74 trillion. The global strongest in the world and the country was responsible for Stephen Joseph Harper (since 2006) recession has had a significant impact achieved marginal growth in 2010 and $73.4bn in Elections: Monarchy is hereditary. however and led to high unemployment 2011 with aims to balance the budget by revenues which Governor General appointed by which reached 8.6 per cent and today 2015. represents around Monarch for five year term. Following there are 1.4 million unemployed and two per cent of elections the leader of the majority federal debts totalled $566.7bn in 2010/11. Meanwhile tourism in 2010 was Canada’s overall It now faces the challenge of meeting responsible for $73.4bn in revenues GDP which to put it party generally designated prime demands for quality improvements in which represents around two per cent of in real terms is as minister by the governor general. health care, education, social services and Canada’s overall GDP which to put it in much as the economic competitiveness. real terms is as much as the agriculture, agriculture, forestry forestry and fishing sectors combined. and fishing sectors around 880 million in 2009 and 1.6 billion However Canada’s recovery is getting a combined. tourists expected by 2020. There have vote of confidence from economists and Around 594,000 jobs in Canada are been significant investments into the the Royal Bank of Canada’s latest report related to tourism and the sector has been tourism sector including some $530m shows a 2.6 per cent gain in GDP overall growing by an average of four per cent back in 2008 for product development, for 2012 and 2013. Canada’s banks have each year for the last 20 years with infrastructure and marketing. February 2013 PAGE 103 Report ALBERTA - CANADA ALBERTA TRUE GAMING SPIRIT A VLT replacement programme combined with a diverse gaming offer means that Alberta punches above its weight Alberta is the most populous of Canada’s pull tickets and provincial gaming – VLTs, three prairie provinces with a population slot machines, ticket lotteries and of 3.6 million and is named after Princess electronic bingo.