Skiers are returning to the slopes north of Toronto and resort employees are back on the job thanks to snow and cold temperatures.
Blue Mountain ski resort called back 1,300 employees on Friday. They had been laid off on Jan. 5 because no snow had fallen and temperatures were too mild to even make snow for ski runs.
But in just a matter of days the mercury dropped and snow flew, pumping life back into the Collingwood area.
"I just hope it snows for the next 24-hours -- that would be great. We could open everything up full, 100 per cent," ski lift operator Ed Koshilka said Friday.
Collingwood's economy relies heavily on the winter season. Many of the community's 18,000 residents lost work or their businesses lost money due to the unseasonably warm Christmas and New Year season.
"It is the worst year we've had, going back to 1972," Earl Cairns said, who works in Blue Mountain's pro shop. "I haven't seen a year like this over the holidays since I've been here," the 17-year employee added.
While business is getting started again, the late start could still spell a difficult year for the resort and the Collingwood area.
"It really makes a big impact to the local area and even further out than that," Blue Mountain's Ron Westlake said.
Around the GTA other ski resorts are slowly getting their runs open. Snow-making machines are operating and many resorts say they will slowly be able to get more slopes ready skiers in the coming days.
With a report from CTV's Austin Delaney
