Ubisoft announced on January 7, 2026, that it would close its Halifax, Nova Scotia, studio, affecting 71 positions. The announcement came less than a month after workers voted to unionize with CWA Canada. Ubisoft said the closure was part of a company-wide restructuring; the union alleged it was intended to keep out the union. The reviewed sources do not establish a final legal finding on the disputed motive.
What happened at Ubisoft Halifax?
Ubisoft Halifax workers publicly announced their union drive with CWA Canada on June 18, 2025. They said collective action would give employees a meaningful voice in decisions. On December 18, CWA Canada said ballots had been counted and that support was overwhelming; CityNews reported that nearly 74% of employees voted in favor. CWA Canada’s union announcement and CityNews’ January 7 report describe the campaign and vote.
On January 7, 2026, Ubisoft announced it was closing the Halifax studio, affecting 71 positions. The studio had worked on games including Assassin’s Creed: Rebellion. The closure announcement followed the union vote by about three weeks.
Why did Ubisoft say it was closing the studio?
Ubisoft described the closure as part of restructuring and cost optimization, not as a response to unionization. Its statement, published by CityNews, said: “Over the past 24 months, Ubisoft has undertaken company-wide actions to streamline operations, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.” In a broader restructuring announcement, Ubisoft also described adjustments to its studio footprint and cost-reduction plans. That provides the company’s stated corporate context, but does not independently establish when the Halifax decision was made or why.
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Ubisoft’s investor materials provide corporate context for its restructuring. The company’s explanation and the existence of broader cost-cutting measures are not, by themselves, a public determination of the specific motive behind the Halifax closure.
What did the union allege?
CWA Canada said the timing raised serious questions. In its initial January 7 response, the union said it was seeking an explanation and did not then assert that unionization had caused the closure. CWA Canada President Carmel Smyth said, “We will pursue every legal recourse to ensure that the rights of these workers are respected and not infringed in any way.”
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On January 13, CWA Canada reported filing a complaint with the Nova Scotia Labour Board alleging that Ubisoft closed the studio to keep out the union. The union said it sought records supporting the company’s financial explanation. CWA Canada also reported Ubisoft denied a connection to the union drive and cited declining revenue and restructuring. These are the parties’ stated positions, not findings by the Labour Board. CWA Canada’s complaint announcement reports the filing and the company’s denial.
What happened with the complaint?
In an update dated April 14, 2026, CWA Canada said workers had approved a negotiated settlement. It reported that 61 of the 71 workers were represented. The settlement’s terms, including compensation, are confidential; the public report does not state an amount or detailed provisions.
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The settlement report does not disclose whether Ubisoft admitted wrongdoing or whether the Labour Board made a finding on the alleged motive. CWA Canada President Carmel Smyth described the negotiation as “not an easy negotiation,” while also saying Ubisoft “respected the union, and acted in a good faith and professional manner.” Former employee Jon Huffman said the closure “came as a surprise to all of us and to the front-line managers” while teams were working on ongoing and new projects. These comments reflect the speakers’ accounts, not a published legal ruling. CWA Canada’s settlement update contains those statements.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Was the Halifax studio closed because workers unionized?
The timing is documented, but the motive remains disputed in the public material described above. Ubisoft attributed the closure to a wider restructuring and cost-reduction effort it said had been underway for two years. CWA Canada alleged the closure was intended to prevent the union from representing workers and pursued a Labour Board complaint. The reported settlement does not reveal its terms or resolve that question publicly. The available sources do not establish a final Labour Board determination on whether unionization caused the closure.
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