SAM Magazine—Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Quebec, Jan. 20, 2026—Le Massif de Charlevoix has closed for a second time amid an ongoing, indefinite strike by roughly 300 of its unionized employees. The resort closed from Jan. 2–6 when the strike began and had reopened with limited operations starting Jan. 7. Le Massif’s decision to shut down starting today came after the union rejected the most recent settlement offer from the mediator handling negotiations and also refused to agree to arbitration. 

Groupe Le Massif president Claude Choquette said in a statement that the resort is “facing threats to its long-term viability” after union members rejected the most recent offers aimed at getting employees to return to work. Le Massif had been operating with non-unionized employees, but said snowmaking water regulations and the timing involved contributed to deciding to shut down now. 

The statement about the snowmaking, translated from French to English, reads: “In order to ensure safe skiing conditions and an experience that met its standards of excellence, Le Massif had to continue snowmaking on the entire mountain. However, this operation is strictly governed by regulations, which require that the filling of the [reservoir] be completed by January 31 at the latest. To meet this legal deadline, a rapid resumption of operations was essential before January 20. In the current context, while unionized employees are not returning to work this week, Le Massif is unable to meet these requirements. This reality is a major element making the continuation of the season unsustainable.”

The union workers, whose previous collective agreement expired Dec. 31, 2025, are seeking higher wages as well as demands related to sick leave, safety, subcontracting, and vacation.

Massif Workers’ Union president Annick Simard told The Canadian Press, “The workers have spoken with one voice. They reject intimidation and threats. They want to negotiate in good faith and reach an agreement that fully recognizes the value of their work. The intimidation has gone on long enough. We will not return on our knees.”

According to reporting by La Presse, per the terms of the recently expired contract, unionized workers were making hourly wages ranging from C$19.66 to C$27.78, depending on department and role. 

Simard told the publication that, when negotiations began last May, the union’s opening request for a three-year collective agreement was a 10 percent increase in the first year, and 6 percent increases in the second and third year, with the hopes that they might arrive at similar agreements to those obtained by the unions of Mont-Sainte-Anne, Mont-Grand-Fonds, and Stoneham.

La Presse reported that in spring of 2024, the union members of Mont-Sainte-Anne (MSA) negotiated a multi-year contract that provisioned for an 8.75 percent increase at signing, then a minimum 3.5 percent increase per year for the following three years. If the consumer price index exceeded 3.5 percent, then workers would receive an equivalent wage increase, up to 5 percent.

The resort’s offer, which the union rejected, was reportedly a five-year contract that included wage increases of 2.75 percent for the first, fourth and fifth years, and 2.25 percent for the second and third years, according to Le Charlevoisien, a local news outlet that has been covering the strike in depth. The resort has not confirmed these figures.

Today, Choquette said that the resort has extended an invitation to the union to continue negotiations. “At the request of the chief mediator and the mediator, the parties were invited to a meeting. The urgency of reaching a resolution by the end of the week remains absolute,” he said.

Le Massif is a standalone attraction in the Charlevoix region, serving as the primary economic engine for the area. The work stoppage has a profound impact on local businesses and government, whose revenues are acutely tied to resort visitor spending.

The union refusing to agree to arbitration has raised concerns that the strike will become a protracted affair, akin to the workers’ strike at the Granby Zoo in Quebec’s Eastern Townships, which lasted more than six months. An agreement was reached in February 2025 after 73 bargaining sessions, although the zoo never had to shut down as a result of the strike. Both the zoo and Le Massif unions are affiliated with the Confederation of National Trade Unions (CSN).

Yves Juneau, president of the Quebec Ski Areas Association (ASSQ), told SAM, “We want this conflict to end and for an agreement to be reached that is good for everyone—but the union not wanting arbitration has us worried about where this conflict is going.” Le Massif is one of the only Quebec ski areas that is not an ASSQ member. 

In a statement shared with The Canadian Press, president of the CSN Central Council of Québec–Chaudière-Appalaches Barbara Poirier reaffirmed the organization’s support for the Le Massif union. “When an employer acts like a king and tries to impose its worldview through pressure and intimidation, you have to stand up collectively. The workers at Le Massif are showing dignity and courage, and the whole region has an interest in ensuring they are respected.”