Pickering and Ajax casino strike is over; Toronto lockout goes on
Updated · CasinoOntario.org editorial team
The strike at Pickering Casino Resort and Casino Ajax is over. About 900 workers, members of Unifor Local 1090, ratified a new contract with Great Canadian Entertainment on November 6, 2026, and return to work on Monday, November 9. Both casinos stayed open during the strike. At Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, the casino at Woodbine Racetrack, about 100 security officers remain locked out, and the resort is open with a picket line at its entrances.
Where each casino stands
| Casino | Dispute | Where it stands | Open to visitors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickering Casino Resort | Strike from July 31 | Over: contract ratified November 6, staff back November 9 | Yes, 24/7; Great Canadian still lists the poker room, pool and some restaurants as closed |
| Casino Ajax | Strike from July 31 | Over: contract ratified November 6, staff back November 9 | Yes, 24/7; Getaway Restaurant still on shorter hours |
| Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto | Security officers locked out from July 23 | Still locked out | Yes, 24/7, with a picket line at the entrances |
| Great Blue Heron Casino | Not named in either dispute | Operating as usual, all entrances open | Yes, 24 hours a day |
Pickering and Ajax: the strike ended on November 6
The strike began at 12:01 a.m. on July 31, 2026. Unifor Local 1090 represents a wall-to-wall unit at both casinos, from the gaming floor and the cash cages to food and beverage, housekeeping, and shipping and receiving. The union said the members were seeking a wage increase that recognised their expertise.
On November 6 the members voted 84.7% in favour of a tentative agreement, on an 82% turnout. According to Unifor, the four-year contract raises wages by 14% in total over its term and pays active full-time and part-time employees a lump sum of $300 and $150 respectively. It also compresses the vacation grid, adds days off for several kinds of leave and protects the freedom to change shifts. The union says part-time workers keep their health, dental and life insurance despite the weeks spent on the picket line, and that the deal contains no concessions.
The contract it replaces also came after a strike: in 2022, an eight-day walkout at the same two casinos ended with a four-year agreement.
What it means if you’re visiting Pickering or Ajax
While the strike lasted, Pickering ran with reduced services: the poker room, the hotel pool, luggage service and housekeeping for occupied rooms were unavailable, Starbucks, Casual and Copperhorn Meet House were closed, and table games and some restaurants kept shorter hours. At Ajax, Getaway Restaurant cut its hours and its menu. At both, cars crossed the picket line at about one a minute.
Great Canadian says normal vehicle access to both casinos was restored on November 6, and parking stays free. Its latest update, from that day, still lists the cuts above and promises to post changes to hours and services as soon as it can. Staff are back from Monday, November 9, and Pickering’s own page lists the poker room as open 24 hours a day, but no date has been given for each service. If you need the poker room, the pool or a particular restaurant, call ahead: the phone numbers are on our Pickering Casino Resort and Casino Ajax cards.
Toronto: security officers locked out since July 23
At Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, whose Grandstand Casino was formerly known as Casino Woodbine, about 100 security officers in Unifor Local 1090 were locked out at 12:01 a.m. on July 23, 2026, the day after their contract expired. A lockout is the employer’s move: it keeps the workers off the job, where in a strike the workers walk out. The union says the officers were asking for a wage increase that kept up with the cost of living, and on November 6 it said it was still pushing for a contract.
The resort says the hotel and casino remain open 24/7, and every restaurant and food outlet keeps its regular hours. Since October 2, cars have been let through the picket line at regular intervals, several at a time and at least every three minutes, so allow for minor delays. Security staff guide arrivals, parking is free, and the resort asks visitors to check its entrance map before setting out, because the open entrances can change. The rest of what the resort offers is on our Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto card.
Timeline of the strike and the lockout
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| The contract for the security officers at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto expires. | |
| About 100 security officers in Toronto are locked out at 12:01 a.m. | |
| About 900 workers at Pickering Casino Resort and Casino Ajax go on strike at 12:01 a.m. | |
| The Toronto resort starts letting cars through the picket line at regular intervals, at least every three minutes. | |
| Pickering and Ajax workers ratify a four-year contract: 84.7% vote in favour, on an 82% turnout. | |
| Great Canadian says the disruption at both casinos has ended and normal vehicle access is restored. | |
| Pickering and Ajax staff are due back at work. |
Great Blue Heron and the rest of Ontario
Great Blue Heron Casino on Scugog Island, which Great Canadian also runs, is operating as usual, the company says: open 24 hours a day, with all entrances open. The strike and the lockout covered only Pickering, Ajax and the Toronto resort. Every other casino is on our list of Ontario casinos.
Quick answers about the strike
Is Pickering casino still on strike?
No. Workers ratified a new contract on November 6, 2026, and return on Monday, November 9. The casino stayed open during the strike.
Is Woodbine casino on strike?
Not on strike: about 100 security officers at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, the casino at Woodbine Racetrack, have been locked out since July 23, 2026. The resort says it’s open 24/7 and lets cars through the picket line at least every three minutes.
Is Casino Ajax open?
Yes. It stayed open 24/7 during the strike, and its staff return on November 9.