Great Canadian Gaming Corp. Announces Nova Scotia Reopening

Toronto’s Great Canadian Gaming Corp. has announced the reopening of two casinos in Nova Scotia.

Canadians now have access to casino gaming once again in Nova Scotia as two venues operated by the Great Canadian Gaming Corp. are back in business. The company is based in Toronto and just announced the first reopening of the venues in over a month’s time.

Nova Scotia Back in Business

Back in April, the Halifax casino and the Sydney property of Great Canadian Gaming shut down within five days of each other. The shutdown order stretched across the province as COVID-19 was spreading rapidly. Now, it seems the risk is lowered, and Nova Scotia is now in Phase 2 of the reopening plan.

Casinos and other venues that offer video lottery gaming can operate at up to 50% capacity. The facilities need to have social distancing among guests and employees of two meters. Everyone must also wear masks.

The venues are able to operate but only if these restrictions are in place. The casinos are also restricted to a midnight curfew. For the Halifax property, it will operate now from 11 am until midnight each day. For high limit gamblers, the tables will run from 4pm. Main floor tables will be open on weekends from 2pm until closing.

If the next few weeks prove to be safe for the public regarding the virus, the province should begin Phase 3 of the reopening plan. At this level, the casinos would be able operate at 75% capacity. Mask wearing and social distancing is still required at this level. Operation hours can extend by one hour.

It is expected that the Phase 4 section will begin on July 14. At that point, the casinos would be able to function at 100% capacity. Mask mandates and social distancing would still be required.

Ready to Bring in Revenues

For Great Canadian Gaming Corp., the shutdown period over this past year has been brutal. When COVID first began, the company’s facilities were closed for seven months. Both of the venues in Nova Scotia were open again by early October, but Halifax was shut down in late November, remaining closed until mid-January.

Then again in late April, the two casinos were closed. This left just the Casino New Brunswick property to offer services by Great Canadian. The company’s casinos located in Ontario have been closed since Christmas, the second closure for the properties. Casinos located in British Colombia have been closed going on 15 months. They have not reopened.

Terrance Doyle, Interim CEO for the company, said that it is exciting that the Nova Scotia properties are reopening. Guests are being welcomed back and employees can get back to work. The company is hoping that the reopening of these properties is a precursor to reopenings in other areas like Ontario and British Colombia.

In total, the company operates 26 casinos in Canada. The vaccination program in the country has helped to allow venues to get back to work. The hope is that the program will continue, and it will lead to further openings in the future.

It took some time for Canada to get started with the vaccination program. The country relies on the United States for medial supplies and there were not enough shots to go around in the beginning to put a dent in the number of positive cases.

As Great Canadian reopens some of its venues, other operators are getting back to work as well. SaskGaming recently announced its Saskatchewan venues are reopening this weekend. Century Casinos also has plans to open facilities back up in Alberta.