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The draft plan presented by Ontario Racing, an industry group created to help horse-racing adjust to a post-slots world, shows the province is considering a 17-year plan, starting after the current $700 million subsidy ends in 2021, to give the industry $93.4 million annually (essentially a continuation of the support they are getting now). Ontario Racing will launch consultations on the plan Thursday.

The plan may include a mix of government and other funding, perhaps from the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), and has yet to be approved by cabinet.

“This is extraordinary in terms of a government commitment both in terms of time and in terms of money,” said Rob Cook of Ontario Racing of the proposal. “What’s really launching today is a starting point, it’s not an end point.”

They wrecked havoc on it and now are trying to restore some balance back to the industry that they destroyed

The Finance Ministry, however, stresses the $93.4 million figure — which is part of communications and materials being given to industry stakeholders across the province — remains preliminary.

“Our government is committed to the sustainability of the horse racing industry and supporting the communities that depend on it,” said a statement from the ministry. “That’s why in the 2016 budget, we extended the Horse Racing Partnership Fund to 2021 and have tasked OLG to engage the industry on a longer-term funding arrangement.”

The sector has waited for such a plan through four years of short-term funding pledges and a series of consultations.