Unseasonably warm weather challenges tourism operators & maple syrup producers
Skiing without a winter jacket is rare for the first week of March, but that was the case Monday at Horseshoe Resort, and while the mild temperatures may be sweet on the slopes, tourism operators may be feeling a bit bitter.
Staff at the ski resort in Barrie had to cancel events this past weekend due to the warmer weather.
"We had a couple of NorAm events, North American Championship in freestyle skiing and snowboarding, and it's basically an Olympic-sized jump we would have to build for that, and so unfortunately, we had to cancel that event," said Horseshoe Resort general manager Jonathan Reid.
- Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox
Reid said this has been one of the warmest winters they have ever seen, adding they expect the season to be cut short.
"It's been very challenging where the windows to make snow have been a lot shorter. Typically, we finish snowmaking in January, and we've been making snow right through into the end of February now," he explained.
The ski resort will be open through March Break, the resort confirmed.
Meanwhile, it hasn't been any easier for maple syrup producers.
Peter Lorriman, who owns Windlee Farms, said this is one of the most challenging years they've ever had.
"Two years ago, our taps were like six, seven feet high. This year, they're right at three feet. It's sort of weird tapping without snow and cold weather, and what really worries me is we're not getting the cold nights," said Lorriman.
Lorriman noted the constantly changing temperatures have severely impacted the amount of sap they were able to produce, which has also created financial implications.
"I was looking at records yesterday, and we were boiling until April 3 last year," he said.
But as frustrating as the season has been, Lorriman said he's already starting to prepare for next year.
"You always got to think ahead, and you can't do anything about this season, so you just gotta think about next season," he said.
Windlee Farms hopes to push operations into April or until the sap goes bad.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.