adminThe Ubisoft Halifax closure has prompted CWA Canada to question the timing of the decision, which came shortly after employees formed a union. The union says it will pursue legal options to protect workers’ rights, while Ubisoft maintains that the studio’s shutdown is unrelated to unionisation.
Image credit: Ubisoft Workers of Canada
Ubisoft Halifax closure raises questions for CWA Canada
In a statement, CWA Canada said the closeness between the studio’s announced closure and the creation of a bargaining unit raised concerns. The union noted that closing a business because employees have formed a union is unlawful, while also making clear that it has not established that this was the reason for Ubisoft’s decision.
CWA Canada president Carmel Smyth described the news as deeply upsetting and said the organisation would use available legal channels to ensure employees’ rights are respected. The union also expects Ubisoft to demonstrate that the closure was not connected to workers’ decision to organise.
For employees affected by a workplace closure, the distinction between a business decision and a decision linked to union activity can have significant legal implications. CWA Canada’s statement signals that it intends to examine the circumstances; it does not, by itself, establish that any law was broken.
What Ubisoft has said about the studio shutdown
Ubisoft announced the Halifax studio’s closure on Wednesday, January 7. The decision affects 71 positions and followed the formation of the first union within the company’s North American business. A Ubisoft spokesperson said the closure was not related to employees unionising.
The company said it had spent the previous 24 months working to simplify operations, improve efficiency and reduce costs across the business. Ubisoft described the Halifax shutdown as part of those efforts and said it would provide affected team members with severance packages and additional career support.
These are the company’s stated reasons for the closure. CWA Canada has said it will seek further assurances, so the union’s concerns and Ubisoft’s explanation remain important parts of the dispute.
What the closure means for Ubisoft Halifax staff
Jon Huffman, a member of the studio union’s organising committee, said employees were disappointed and planned to support one another during the difficult period. The closure affects workers as well as their families and the wider Nova Scotia community.
Ubisoft Halifax was established in 2010. In recent years, the studio worked on mobile games including Rainbow Six Mobile and Assassin’s Creed Rebellion. Its closure therefore marks the end of a Canadian development studio with a history of producing mobile titles.
What to watch next
The next developments will include any further information Ubisoft provides about its decision and the steps CWA Canada takes to review the circumstances. Employees can look to official communications from the company and their union for details about severance, career assistance and workplace rights.
The Ubisoft Halifax closure has created uncertainty for 71 workers, while leaving a key question unresolved: whether the studio’s shutdown was entirely separate from the workforce’s recent unionisation. CWA Canada says it will pursue legal recourse and seek an explanation, while Ubisoft says the decision was part of broader operational changes.
