Downhill ski resorts in Ontario can start up the ski lifts again once the province lifts the shutdown restrictions in their region.
Downhill skiing is permitted, with distancing, capacity restrictions, and mask wearing, in all five colour-coded "zones" contained in the province's COVID-19 Response Framework, including in the grey/lockdown category.
According to Paul Pinchbeck, president of the Canadian Ski Council and former Blue Mountain staffer, ski hills were always permitted to remain open within the grey/lockdown framework.
The province's shutdown order that took effect Dec. 26, however, required ski hills to close.
According to Premier Doug Ford's announcement today, the shutdown orders will remain in effect in Simcoe Muskoka and Grey Bruce Health Unit until Feb. 16, meaning ski hills can't open until next week at the earliest.
Pinchbeck said ski hills are looking forward to getting people back to work and back on the hill. While there's no official word yet from the province on new restrictions for ski resort operations, Pinchbeck said each resort will have to work with their local public health unit to determine what will be required for their reopening.
Under the safety plans created by Canadian Ski Council and the Ontario Ski Resorts Association, ski hills that opened were requiring guests to wear masks on chair lifts, and had limited access to indoor facilities with physical distancing measures in place and outdoor warming centres available.
