Avoiding non-essential travel and hospital capacity are some of the reasons Premier Doug Ford gave for ski hills being closed during the provincial shutdown.
While some ski hills had already opened for the season last month, when the province-wide shutdown took effect Dec. 26 they were closed. Yesterday, the Northern Ontario shutdown restrictions were extended by two weeks to align with southern Ontario measures. It shutters all Ontario ski hills until at least Jan. 22. Cross-country ski facilities are able to operate.
In a news conference today, Ford was asked about reopening slopes during the lockdown.
He said there are skiers and snowboarders from hot zones that would travel and "go stay in a hotel, have some meals and so on, so forth. We need to avoid travelling."
In anticipation of the shutdown lifting, Northern Ontario hills had taken a stance against skiers from southern Ontario.
Laurentian Ski Hill in North Bay and Boogie Mountain Ski Hill in Espanola have announced they will only allow skiers from the surrounding region to use their facilities while the lockdown continues in southern Ontario. In Timmins, Mount Jamieson asked potential travellers to consider the community's safety and well-being before visiting the resort and stay home as much as possible for 14 days before.
Right now, the premier said people have to "hunker down."
"When you see the modelling, it’s gonna be a real wake-up call and as Dr. (Barbara) Yaffe said, they’re actually scary numbers. This is crunch time right now and honestly, the last thing that’s on my mind right now are the ski hills,” he said.
He said he understands the sport is great mental health.
“I agree mental health’s an issue, but health overall is so important right now and not to overload the system,” he said.
He said northern hospitals “won’t be able to handle it if it starts heading up there the way it’s heading down here."
Today, Public Health Ontario reported a record 4,249 new cases.
Northern Ontario case numbers are increasing.
Public Health Ontario's daily report includes comparisons of weekly rates of confirmed cases.
In Northeastern Ontario, the percentage change from the period of Dec. 23-29 to Dec. 29 to Jan. 4 is:
- Algoma Public Health increased 1,288.2 per cent
- North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit increased 134.8 per cent
- Porcupine Health Unit increased 300 per cent
- Public Health Sudbury and Districts increased 63.8 per cent
- Timiskaming Health Unit has decreased 41.7 per cent
According to the province's shutdown extension announcement yesterday, there are currently nine COVID-19 patients in acute care in Northern Ontario. Four patients are in ICU, including two on a ventilator. The acute hospital occupancy is over 90 per cent in Algoma Public Health and Public Health Sudbury and District, according to the province.
