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Burnaby business closed by COVID still donates $78,000

Government has kept casinos closed
grand-villa-casino
Grand Villa Casino in Burnaby. Burnaby NOW file photo

One of Burnaby’s hardest-hit businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic still managed to give away a lot of money.

Gateway Casinos, which operates the Grand Villa and is based in Burnaby, still hasn’t reopened since being closed at the start of the pandemic. It is unclear when the government of B.C. will allow casinos to reopen.

But its GatewayGIVES program hasn’t slowed down, as more than 8,000 employees still managed to assist fundraising efforts.

“Despite the challenges COVID has placed on the gaming industry, Gateway is pleased to make a holiday donation to our communities across Canada,” said a news release. “Collectively we have donated more than $78,000 to local food banks, Christmas bureaus and non-profit organizations throughout our communities.”