Metro Vancouver split on proposed casino at BC Place
Posted March 24, 2011 5:34 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
LOWER MAINLAND (NEWS1130) – Two polls released this week show Metro Vancouver is split on the economic benefits and social costs of the proposed casino at BC Place.
Kyle Braid with Ipsos Reid says the region is divided, with 48 per-cent against the project and 46-per cent in favour. “With an issue like this, it tends to come down to personal viewpoint on whether the economic benefits are worth the potential social cost” he says.
Braid tells us when you take the poll’s margin of error into account, support levels are basically even. An Angus Reid survey released earlier this week was virtually identical in its results.
Ipsos also released numbers specific to the city of Vancouver, showing the majority of people are against the casino. The split is 53 per-cent against, 43 per-cent in favour.
“Two thirds said they agree that the project is going to provide significant economic benefit to the region. But similarly, six-in-10 say they expect it will have significant social costs,” explains Braid.
The project has a $450 million price tag. There have been several public hearings on the casino ahead of a vote by city council on whether to rezone the land around BC Place to allow the project to move forward.
