Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries has successfully found the way to weather the unprecedented situation across the province, as well as on national level, as it was recently confirmed. The Crown corporation made it clear that the substantial layoffs taking place over the past couple of months have resulted in millions of Canadian dollars saved while casino hotspots remain closed.
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries President and Chief Executive Officer Manny Atwal recently pointed out that the past more than ten weeks have seen some CA$1.3 million in expenses saved at the cost of temporary staff layoffs. Upwards of 1,300 workers associated with the gambling venues across Manitoba had to see layoffs mid-March, as the Crown corporation wanted to protect their health.
CA$1.3m Saved
The special measures had to be taken in a quick manner, while also taking into account that these are real people we are talking about and their lives are going to be affected by the layoffs. The temporary measure aligned well with the closing of brick-and-mortar casino locations and gambling halls, as physical distancing is the recommended practice. The workforce reduction resulted in great expenses cuts.
Last week was a special one, as it saw the standing committee on Crown corporations have its regular meeting dedicating time on the subject. The Manitoba legislature saw Mr. Atwal report that the decision made back in March has ended up being a positive one for the Crown corporation, as well as for the province of Manitoba. The layoffs affected some 40 percent of the workforce of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries.
About 136 individuals were appointed for an ongoing operation involving liquor distribution along with home delivery services that saw a rise of popularity over the past weeks. This was noted as a step in the right direction, as the people needed the regular income they rely on, while also helping individuals in their community.
1,300 Individuals Laid Off
Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries also reported that the operating costs over the course of the past more than 10 weeks have witnessed savings amounting to up to 20 percent. However, it should be taken into account that the past more than ten weeks did not bring only positive results. The Crown corporation overseeing gambling and liquor sale in Manitoba revealed that the casino venues shut down mid-March have had to be protected.
This resulted in increased expenses when it comes to their securing and ongoing maintaining over the past couple of months. Now Canadian provinces are preparing for the official reopening of businesses and brick-and-mortar casino venues are among those operations. There would be several phases of reopening in Manitoba and projections are that in-person gambling would be able to resume by the last days of June.
This would result in the returning of both land-based casino gaming, gambling halls would reopen, while restaurants and bars will be able to switch on their video lottery terminals. The latter are among the most popular gaming devices on a provincial basis and many players use them as a recreational activity.
