Loto-Québec has announced that it is ditching plans to a $1.17-billion casino complex in downtown Montreal. The announcement comes hours after partners Cirque du Soleil pulled out of the deal. The casino project has been fraught with controversy with pressure from local groups worried about gambling problems on top of pre-election politics.

Daniel Lamarre, President of the Cirque du Soleil, said that the uncertainty of the go-ahead on top of the demand for new shows had led to the withdraw.