Quebec Ski Resort SHUTS DOWN After Labor Union Negotiations Sputter

Quebec's Le Massif de Charlevoix ski resort announced it will not reopen for the remainder of the 2025–26 ski season after contract negotiations with its unionized workforce collapsed, turning a month-long strike into a full-season shutdown. Management held up January 20th as a critical deadline for snowmaking this season, but with no return to work in sight, the resort is shutting down.

Union leaders remained steadfast, continuing their strike and stating that they would “not be intimidated by employer pressures and ultimatums.”

“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,” said union president Annick Simard, as reported by CTV News.

Resort reps stand by their wage offers, saying the union's counter proposal represented "an overbid compared to market rates".

"Market rates", if other labor disputes in North America serve as a foil, may be unsustainable outright, raising questions about the viability of seasonal employment models in general.

At any rate, the decision marks one of the most severe labor-related closures in North American skiing this winter and places renewed focus on growing tensions between resort operators and the seasonal employees who keep mountains running. Le Massif is far from the only resort experiencing labor issues this season, raising deeper questions about the sustainability of seasonal labor practices at ski resorts in North America.

Still, there may be a sliver of possibility to salvage the season at Le Massif, as management and the union have been called to meet today, January 21, according to CBC.

Related: Telluride Ski Patrol Approves Three-Year Contract to End 13-Day Strike

Le Massif’s closure arrives during what should be the busiest stretch of the winter. It's not a lack of snowfall or visitor demand that's hampering operations, but a disgruntled workforce. The rupture underscores a broader shift playing out across ski country, where labor disputes are no longer easily suppressed by resorts but are instead season-altering events. From Quebec to Colorado, workers are testing how much leverage they truly hold. Resorts are discovering just how fragile operations become when that relationship breaks down. For now, Le Massif’s lifts are still, its snowmaking operations quiet, and customers are emptying out their lockers. The labor question remains a flashpoint for a growing number of resorts. As the cost-of-living continues to rise across North America, a trend is emerging. If management and workers, who are increasingly represented by unions, can't get on the same page, how will ski resorts function?

The balance between financial viability and fair compensation is becoming a defining story in the North American ski industry this decade. Only time will tell where workers, and their employers, will land.