Ontario Waits for the Turnaround

A spokesman for Blue Mountain Resort confirmed the area had told1,300 workers to go home after shutting down during a ski season for the first time in its 65-year history.

"We're trying to make the best of things so that guests who still come to Blue will have a good time, but it's pretty tense," Kelly O'Neil, spokeswoman at Blue Mountain Resort, told local media.

Workers were told their services won't be needed for three weeks, although they'll be called back earlier if the weather turns cold and snowmaking operations can start up again. Mountain operators are hoping to see a weather turnaround this week.

In Toronto, two city-run ski hills that were to have opened on Dec. 18 remain closed, said Don Boyle, director of community recreation, costing the city some $300,000 in revenue. But, he added, money has been saved on expenditures.

"Given the weather forecast, we don't see us getting the ski hills open until Jan. 14," he said. "If it's much later than that we would likely not open at all."