COVID-19 - Loto-Québec announces the dates and conditions for the reopening of its gaming establishments, as well as the cost-saving measures affecting its operations and personnel

MONTRÉAL, June 30, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Loto-Québec will gradually reopen its establishments according to the following schedule, with operations adjusted to comply with physical distancing and hygiene standards:

• Hilton Lac-Leamy: July 13
• Casino de Charlevoix, Casino de Mont-Tremblant, Québec and Trois-Rivières gaming halls: July 16
• Casino du Lac Leamy: July 23
• Casino de Montréal: August 3 
• VLT and Kinzo network: July 7
• Network bingo: July 3

As establishments reopen, the Corporation's top priority will be to ensure that operations resume in such a way as to allow employees and customers to stay safe while enjoying a fun environment.

Rigorous safety measures, modified opening hours and an online reservation system

When Loto-Québec's establishments reopen, customers will notice the following important changes to operations and on gaming floors, including:

• New online reservation system for customers
• Casino sectors will be limited to a maximum of 250 customers at a time
• Québec City gaming hall (250 customers)
• Trois-Rivières gaming hall (250 customers)
• Casino de Charlevoix (250 customers)
• Casino de Mont-Tremblant (250 customers)
• Casino du Lac-Leamy (4 sectors with 250 customers = 1,000)
• Casino de Montréal  (6 sectors with 250 customers = 1,500)
• Complete disinfection of each establishment every day and cleaning of gaming machines between customers
• All employees on gaming floors required to wear procedural mask and, when required under CNESST standards, eye protection 
• Customers required to wear a mask or face covering
• Directional signage people must follow to get from one location to another and two-metre physical distancing signage
• Reconfiguration of gaming floors:
• Slot machine activation that ensures physical distancing
• Reduced number of players at gaming tables and installation of protective panels between the dealer and players
• Availability of rubber-tipped stylets to avoid touching slot machines
• No handling of cards or chips by the customer
• Bars and show halls to remain closed for the time being
• Snack food service only
• New opening hours:

All information on the reopening and applicable measures is available at https://casinos.lotoquebec.com/en/portal/establishments.

Savings measures affecting operations and personnel

Since the COVID-19 crisis has been affecting Loto-Québec's commercial operations for over three months already and despite the announcement of the upcoming gradual reopening, the Corporation is forced to apply savings measures to its operations and all personnel. The decision was made in order to align staffing needs with the level of activities.

Indeed, casinos, gaming halls, video lottery terminals (VLTs) and Kinzo halls have been closed since March, and in-store lottery sales were suspended for six weeks, all of which resulted in a significant reduction in the Corporation's activities and revenues. Loto-Québec must therefore revise operations to meet the pace at which commercial activities resume.

In an effort to maintain employment and expertise, the Corporation will implement measures that affect management personnel and employees as well as operating and capital budgets in corporate and business sectors. The measures to be implemented are as follows:

• Significant reduction in operating and capital budgets in all corporate and business sectors for 2020-2021
• Temporary layoffs in various sectors (particularly 2,250 operations employees in casinos and gaming halls)
• Cancellation of supernumerary employee contracts
• Salary freeze and cancellation of all bonuses for management personnel for 2020-2021
• Hiring freeze
• Temporary reduction of the work week

Meetings with management personnel, union representatives and employees from all sectors were held yesterday and today to inform them of the decisions, explain the situation and address concerns.

SOURCE Loto-Québec