AGCO  Working with Industry to Enhance Compliance

Compliance with provincial regulations in the alcohol, gaming, horse racing and cannabis retail sectors helps ensure Ontarians can enjoy these activities safely and responsibly. Staying compliant also helps those who work in these sectors avoid monetary penalties, suspensions or the loss of their licences or registrations.

Through the Education Training and Awareness (ETA) Fund, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is able to fund the creation of new ETA related projects. These projects must be designed to improve compliance with provincial laws and/or enhance awareness of issues of public interest within the sectors the AGCO regulates.  

The AGCO places a premium on education and training and has developed a number of initiatives to promote compliance and responsible practices in the alcohol, gaming, cannabis retail and horse racing industries. Through the ETA Fund, the AGCO offers industry stakeholders the opportunity to develop their own ETA projects and have them receive funding by the AGCO, provided they meet the AGCO’s objectives and funding criteria. Funding is provided to programs selected by the AGCO by using money collected through monetary penalties (OMPs) that have been assessed against licensees, registrants and others the AGCO regulates who have contravened provincial laws. By law, all OMP funds must be used for ETA purposes.

Opportunity to Work with Stakeholders

The AGCO recognizes that industry stakeholders are uniquely positioned to understand the needs and priorities of their industries and members, and so can play an important role in increasing the knowledge and capacity of AGCO regulated persons to comply with the law. Many also have experience developing public awareness campaigns on topics or issues relevant to the AGCO’s mandate. The AGCO has expanded its use of OMP funds so that industry associations, social responsibility groups and others who are similarly active and have the capacity to deliver programming in the sectors the AGCO regulates can apply to develop programs strategically aligned with the AGCO’s mandate and funding objectives.

In 2019-20, 28 proposals for funding were received. Three projects were ultimately selected to receive funding, with $250,000 in funding provided. See more information about the 2019/2020 funded projects here.

In 2020-2021, 16 proposals for funding were received. Two projects were selected to receive funding with $122,600 in funding provided. See more information about the 2020/2021 funded projects here.

With significantly fewer penalties having been collected due to the COVID pandemic, the AGCO is unable to provide a timeline of when the AGCO will accept funding applications. Please continue to monitor this site for additional information.

Should you have any additional questions please direct your questions to ETA@agco.ca.

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