Preamble
WHEREAS the health and welfare of equine athletes and the safety of all racing participants are of paramount concern to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario ("AGCO");
AND WHEREAS Environment Canada has issued special air quality statements for parts of Ontario due to elevated levels of air pollution resulting from wildfire smoke and other environmental conditions;
AND WHEREAS the AGCO has previously recommended, in accordance with Standardbred Rule 21.01 and Thoroughbred Rule 14.05, that racetracks cancel workouts, qualifiers and races where the Air Quality Health Index ("AQHI") is within the high-risk range;
AND WHEREAS the Registrar considers it necessary, in the interests of horse welfare, participant safety, and the integrity of racing, to establish a consistent province-wide requirement respecting racing activities during periods of poor air quality;
TAKE NOTICE THAT:
- Pursuant to the Horse Racing Licence Act, 2015, the Rules of Standardbred Racing and the Rules of Thoroughbred Racing, all Associations shall cancel, or postpone, official workouts, qualifiers, and races when the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is seven (7) or greater, as measured by the nearest Environment Canada monitoring station.
- This Directive shall remain in effect until further notice from the Registrar.
BY ORDER OF
Tyler Durand
Deputy Registrar