Fort Erie racetrack approved

Niagara Regional Council has voted unanimously in favour of a plan to bring a Nascar caliber track to Fort Erie.

Canadian Motor Speedway wants to spend $400 million to transform 820 acres of farmland next to the QEW into a 65,000 seat race track, complete with research and development facilities for local colleges and universities. The Niagara Region Planning and Development Committee has included the speedway in its Niagara Gateway economic zone and centre community improvement plan, which will give the developers tax breaks over the next decade.

Canadian Motor Speedway officials were hoping the province would pay to widen the underpass at Bowen Road to four lanes, to allow better access to the facility, but now says two lanes will be enough.