Ottawa-area ski hills lost revenue due to mild winter spells

The ski season is winding down and some Ottawa area ski hills are coming up short after a condensed season caused by a late start and a mild March Break.

While some ski hills in the region are already closed for the season, such as Ski Edelweiss, other popular spots are staying open to try and recover from lost revenue.

Calabogie Peaks Resort is one such hill hoping to get the most out of the remaining bits of snow.

General manager Michael Strauss said the hill's revenue suffered after their late December start.

"To start midway through the Christmas break is tough on any ski area, and this year was a tough start,"said Strauss.

Earlier this month, Jean-Sbastien Saia, general manager of Ski Edelweiss, said it would be hard to make up for the time lost.

Saia said he was hoping it would pick up during spring break, which is typically one of the busiest periods for the ski industry. But this year's break saw warm temperatures and rain.

Like Saia, Strauss was hopeful they could make up for lost revenue by the end of the season, but it appears that will not be the case.

He said the hill earned 10 to 15 per cent less than what was expected this season.

"I don't think anybody in eastern Canada is going to say that it was their best ski season,"said Strauss.

Despite it not being a banner year for Calabogie Peaks Report, Strauss said it's not unusual for ski hills to experience a drop in revenue every few years due to unfavourable conditions.

You never know what to expect when you're in business with Mother Nature, he said.