This afternoon, Trot Insider spoke with Gerard Landry, Attractions Hippiques' vice president, Racing, who explained that the Quebec track operator has had to lay off roughly 65 employees working at Hippodrome de Montreal.
Landry explained that Attractions Hippiques has been forced to temporarily lay off both full and part-time employees. He said that other employees have been temporarily laid off at other Attractions Hippiques facilities.
Of importance to horsemen is that race secretary Benoit Frenette is one of the employees that was laid off. Richard Landry and Michel Sabourin have assumed the race office duties.
"This is not something that we're happy about it, but there is nothing we can do about it," Landry told Trot Insider.
"Under C-36 law (Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act), Attractions Hippiques had to cease our activities at Hippodrome de Montreal. We have had to temporarily lay off racing staff, track facilities staff and food and beverage staff. Some of the only employees that were not temporarily laid off were those that deal with simulcasting."
Landry said that even he will no longer be involved in the operations of Hippodrome de Montreal beginning in the next couple of days.
"Right now Attractions Hippiques needs time and money to restructure the whole business."