Le Massif de Charlevoix Forced to Make the Most Difficult Decision in its Last 23 Years
Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, January 19, 2026 — Some rank it as the best ski resort in the East (Canada-USA), for both its skiing experience and its sectacular views of the St. Lawrence, but sadly, due to a labour dispute, skiers and boarders booked for this season will have to wait another year to go, as Le Massif de Charlevoix has released a statement to say it is closing for the season.
“It is with profound disappointment and a heavy heart that Le Massif de Charlevoix is forced to cease its regular operations, following the decision by employees represented by the CSN (Confederation of National Trade Unions) to reject both recent proposals for resuming work.
“After pulling Le Massif out of a precarious financial situation more than 23 years ago, we now note with great sadness that Le Massif de Charlevoix, a regional flagship and four-season international recreational tourism destination, 100% owned by Quebec interests and generating more than 525 direct jobs, is once again seeing its future threatened,” laments Claude Choquette, President of Groupe Le Massif.
To the Le Massif de Charlevoix Community
The statement goes on to apologise to both the entire community that will be affected by the lack of visitors and the disappointed ski community planning to visit Le Massif this season.
“Le Massif de Charlevoix shares its disappointment with its entire community, its guests from near and far, its subscribers, its local, regional, and international partners, as well as its entire team.
The organization wishes to acknowledge the remarkable efforts made by its teams over the past few weeks to maintain limited operations, in the hope of mitigating the impact and finding a solution. These efforts, however sustained, have unfortunately not prevented the current outcome.
Why is Le Massif Forced to Close for the Season?
Le Massif says that even if the labour dispute is resolved at this point, there is not enough time to get the resort safely operational under current rules and regulations due to the long snowmaking cessation.
Some 300 union employees rejected both a contract offer and a proposal to go to arbitration. Wages seem to be the main sticking point but other issues on the table are sick leave, safety, subcontracting and vacation time, according to a report from the CBC.
“Among the determining factors that led to this decision, the time constraint proved central. In order to ensure safe skiing conditions and an experience that met its standards of excellence, Le Massif needed to continue artificial snowmaking across the entire mountain. However, this operation is strictly regulated, requiring that the reservoir be filled no later than January 31.
“To meet this legal deadline, a rapid resumption of operations was essential before January 20. In the current context, with unionized employees not returning to work this week, Le Massif is unable to meet these requirements. This reality is a major factor making the continuation of the season unviable.”
What if you have already booked to ski at Le Massif?
According to their website Le Massif will be informing customers within the next two weeks. Day tickets and consecutive multi-day tickets will be refunded if their validity date coincides with a strike period up to January 25, 2026. For dates thereafter, as soon as a concrete measure is put in place, they say they will inform you without delay within two weeks.
The same goes for sledding tickets, which Le Massif says will be refunded if their validity date falls within a strike period up to January 22, 2026. For subsequent dates, as soon as a concrete measure is put in place, they will inform you without delay within two weeks. Please visit their FAQ section for current information: Here
Is your accommodation reservation guaranteed?
Yes. Accommodations are separate entities from Le Massif de Charlevoix and are not affected by the strike. They remain open and fully operational.
For stays starting January 20, 2026, Le Massif will provide details in the coming days.
How to stay informed about the evolving situation?
The situation is evolving rapidly. Le Massif encourages you to regularly consult their website for official updates. You may also contact the Guest Services team by completing the request form.
by Terry Lankstead with notes provided by Le Massif de Charlevoix
Other articles from totimes.ca – otttimes.ca – mtltimes.ca
