1,300 laid off at Blue Mountain<\/p>\n
TANNIS TOOHEY\/ TORONTO STAR <\/p>\n
January 05, 2007
\nRoberta Avery, Isabel Teotonio and Nicholas Kyonka
\nToronto Star\/Ontario\u2019s largest ski resort has laid off 1,300 workers after closing down its ski operations in the middle of the winter season for the first time in the resort\u2019s 65-year history. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re trying to make the best of things so that guests who still come to Blue will have a good time, but it\u2019s pretty tense,\u201d said Kelly O\u2019Neil, speaking for Blue Mountain Resorts today. <\/p>\n
The laid-off workers, who are full-time seasonal workers and year-round part-time employees, have been told their services won\u2019t be needed for three weeks, although they will be called back earlier if the weather turns cold and snowmaking operations can start up again. They include housekeeping staff, restaurant workers and ski lift operators. <\/p>\n
The resort has had spells of unseasonably warm weather in past winters, but until this year has always had enough snow to stay open. <\/p>\n
This could also could be the first year that the City doesn\u2019t open its ski hills. <\/p>\n
In Toronto, two city-run ski hills that were to open on Dec. 18 remain closed, said Don Boyle, director of community recreation, adding the city has lost about $300,000. But, he added, while there\u2019s been lost revenue, money has been saved on expenditures. <\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the weather forecast, we don\u2019t see us getting the ski hills open until Jan. 14,\u201d he said. \u201cIf it\u2019s much later than that we would likely not open at all.\u201d <\/p>\n
The closures are the result of record-breaking temperatures in Toronto. Today\u2019s high is expected to hit 13 C, replacing the previous record for today\u2019s date of 10.1 C set in 1997. The record, which was broken around 7 a.m., came on the heels of the warmest January evening in 167 years. <\/p>\n
Until yesterday, the warmest night in Toronto had been on Jan. 1, 1988 at 7.3 C. Last night, however, the mercury never dropped below 8C. <\/p>\n
\u201cDoes this mean that winter is cancelled? Well no,\u201d said David Phillips, Environment Canada\u2019s senior climatologist. \u201cIf you look at the five-day forecast you\u2019d see that the S word is there. We\u2019re going to have snow next week.\u201d <\/p>\n
Temperatures are expected to drop to a high of about 4 C Sunday, followed by a chance of flurries Monday and Tuesday. <\/p>\n
\u201cJust because we haven\u2019t had winter doesn\u2019t mean we should raise the white flag yet,\u201d said Phillips, adding, \u201cmaybe we\u2019ll be counting snowflakes in May.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cWe think that there will still be snow here and people will be cursing the weather … Don\u2019t necessarily put away your snow tires or hang up your ski lift because the snow will still be coming.\u201d <\/p>\n
That\u2019s good news for outdoor sports enthusiasts who\u2019ve been anxiously waiting for green to turn white and for employees hoping to get back to work. <\/p>\n
Skating is still a winter sport being enjoyed, but milder temperatures means few even remember it as an option. <\/p>\n
\u201cMel Lastman Square is quiet during the day,\u201d said Boyle. \u201cAny other year it would be packed right now with people and families skating.\u201d <\/p>\n
Although some of the city\u2019s outdoor artificial ice rinks have occasionally been closed because of soft ice, they\u2019ve held up relatively well, he said. However, none of the natural ice rinks have opened. <\/p>\n
It appears as if the warm weather isn\u2019t just driving up mercury levels, it may be boosting the number of rodents in the city, according to some pest experts. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe fact that it\u2019s a milder winter means less rats and mice are dying, which means more are surviving for one more breeding,\u201d said Michael Goldman of Purity Pest Control Limited in Thornhill. <\/p>\n
Without the usual snow and ice, easy access to dumpsters and garbage has made it easier to forage for food and improved their survival rates, he said. But, he also pointed out that just because people may be seeing more mice and rats, that doesn\u2019t mean their numbers have grown. <\/p>\n
Carlo Panacci of Cain Pest Control in Toronto thinks we\u2019re likely to see more rodents, and even insects, in the spring, since the cold weather isn\u2019t keeping their numbers in check. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe can expect to see more mice and more creatures in general,\u201d said Panacci. \u201cWe just might not see as many polar bears.\u201d <\/p>\n
But zoologist Mark Engstrom doesn\u2019t think increased temperatures results in more rodents. The University of Toronto professor points out that population growth of mice and rats has more to do with availability of food, rather than temperature. <\/p>\n
\u201cTheir populations go up and down naturally – I don\u2019t think it has to do with warming trends,\u201d said Engstrom, also the curator of mammals at the Royal Ontario Museum. <\/p>\n
Evolutionary biologist Spencer Barrett, however, doesn\u2019t think you need to look far to see the effects of global warming, just look to the border. There, you\u2019ll notice a northward spread of invasive species from the United States, which in the past would have been stopped by frost and bad weather. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re following the warmer climate – lots of things are shifting their range and moving north,\u201d said Barrett, who is the Canada research chair at the University of Toronto. \u201cWe see possums in Ontario now and we didn\u2019t about 50 years ago because they\u2019ve come up from the south.\u201d <\/p>\n
Just look at British Columbia, where beetles are chewing up vast areas of forests, he said. That\u2019s occurring because the normal winter conditions that prevented them from reproducing are no longer there and milder weather means you\u2019re getting more generations of beetles per year. <\/p>\n
Elsewhere, weather is wreaking havoc in a different way. <\/p>\n
Cold weather across northern and eastern India has killed at more than 100 people in the past week, forcing the closure of schools and colleges, as well as the delivery of firewood to the homeless. Today, the temperature in New Delhi dropped to 4 C, the lowest of the winter. <\/p>\n
In Bangladesh, at least 56 people, mostly beggars and homeless, died during the cold snap. In Uttar Pradesh, India\u2019s most populous state, 34 people died as night-time temperatures dropped to freezing, making life miserable for those on the streets. <\/p>\n
In the eastern state of Bihar, thousands of homeless people crowded around bonfires – at least 35 people have died in the impoverished state in the last week. In neighbouring Jharkhand, 11 people have died. <\/p>\n
With files from Reuters<\/p>\n
\u65c5\u6e38\u4e1a\u5fe7\u5fc3\u5fe1\u5fe1.\u52a0\u51ac\u5b63\u5929\u6c14\u6599\u6bd4\u6b63\u5e38\u6e29\u6696 <\/p>\n
\u52a0\u901a\u793e\u591a\u4f26\u591a\u7535 <\/p>\n
\u52a0\u62ff\u5927\u897f\u90e8\u7684\u79ef\u96ea\u8db3\u4ee5\u8ba9\u4eba\u4eec\u6ed1\u96ea\u53ca\u8e0f\u6ed1\u96ea\u677f\u53d6\u4e50\u3002\u4e0d\u8fc7\uff0c\u52a0\u62ff\u5927\u73af\u5883\u90e8\u7684\u957f\u8fdc\u51ac\u5b63\u5929\u6c14\u9884\u6d4b\u5219\u672a\u80fd\u53eb\u56fd\u5185\u5176\u4ed6\u5730\u533a\u7684\u65c5\u6e38\u754c\u4eba\u58eb\u611f\u5230\u4e50\u89c2\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u4e2d\u90e8\u53ca\u4e1c\u90e81\u6708\u4efd\u7684\u5929\u6c14\u6e29\u548c\u81f3\u53ef\u4ee5\u6253\u9ad8\u5c14\u592b\u7403\u3002\u52a0\u62ff\u5927\u73af\u5883\u90e8\u9ad8\u7ea7\u6c14\u5019\u5b66\u5bb6\u83f2\u5229\u65af (David Phillips) \u5468\u4e09\u4f30\u8ba1\uff0c\u76f4\u81f33\u6708\uff0c\u5168\u56fd\u975e\u5e38\u4e4b\u591a\u7684\u5730\u65b9\u7684\u5929\u6c14\u5c06\u4f1a\u6bd4\u6b63\u5e38\u7684\u6e29\u6696\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u4ed6\u8868\u793a\uff0c\u8fd9\u771f\u7684\u5f88\u4e0d\u5bfb\u5e38\uff0c\u6709\u663e\u8457\u7684\u4e0d\u540c\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u4ed6\u6307\u51fa\uff0c1\u670815\u65e5\u901a\u5e38\u90fd\u662f\u51ac\u5b63\u7684\u4e2d\u671f\uff0c\u867d\u7136\u51ac\u5b63\u5feb\u8981\u8fc7\u4e86\u4e00\u534a\uff0c\u4f46\u5374\u4ecd\u7136\u672a\u5f00\u59cb\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u76ee\u524d\u867d\u7136\u9884\u6d4b\u672a\u67653\u4e2a\u6708\u7684\u5929\u6c14\u4f1a\u8f83\u6b63\u5e38\u7684\u6e29\u548c\uff0c\u8fd9\u5e76\u975e\u610f\u5473\u7740\u4e0d\u4f1a\u6709\u4efb\u4f55\u7684\u4e0b\u96ea\u6216\u4e25\u5bd2\u7684\u6c14\u6e29\u3002\u7136\u800c\uff0c\u5bf9\u4e8e\u4f9d\u8d56\u96ea\u6765\u505a\u751f\u610f\u7684\u65c5\u6e38\u754c\u6765\u8bf4\uff0c\u8fd9\u8fd8\u4e0d\u662f\u597d\u6d88\u606f\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u5ea6\u5047\u6751\u51cf\u7968\u4ef7 <\/p>\n
\u5b89\u7701\u84dd\u5c71\u6ed1\u96ea\u5ea6\u5047\u6751 (Blue Mountain Ski Resort) \u7684\u4e00\u4e9b\u7968\u4ef7\u51cf\u4ef7\u51fa\u552e\u3002\u5973\u53d1\u8a00\u4eba\u5965\u5c3c\u5c14 (Kelly O’Neill) \u8868\u793a\uff0c\u6b63\u5728\u7b49\u5019\u7ef4\u63011\u62162\u4e2a\u661f\u671f\u7684\u7ed3\u51b0\u6e29\u5ea6\uff0c\u4ee5\u4fbf\u4f7f\u7528\u505a\u96ea\u7684\u6280\u672f\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u9b41\u7701\u7684\u7fe0\u6e56\u5c71\u5e84 (Mont Tremblant) \u7684\u60c5\u51b5\u8f83\u4f73\uff0c\u80fd\u591f\u5728\u5723\u8bde\u8282\u76841\u4e2a\u661f\u671f\u5236\u9020\u8db3\u591f\u7684\u96ea\uff0c\u800c\u76ee\u524d\u5f00\u653e\u4e86\u4e09\u4efd\u4e4b\u4e8c\u7684\u573a\u5730\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u6e25\u592a\u534e\u4e8e\u51ac\u8282 (Winterlude) \u53ca\u9b41\u5317\u514b\u57ce\u7684\u51ac\u5b63\u5609\u5e74\u534e\u4f1a\u5206\u522b\u5b9a\u4e8e2\u67082\u65e5\u53ca1\u670826\u65e5\u5c55\u5f00\u3002\u76ee\u524d\uff0c\u8d1f\u8d23\u7b79\u529e\u7684\u4eba\u4ecd\u672a\u62c5\u5fc3\uff0c\u4f46\u4ed6\u4eec\u627f\u8ba4\uff0c\u5982\u679c\u6c14\u6e29\u7ee7\u7eed\u4fdd\u6301\u5728\u96f6\u5ea6\u4ee5\u4e0a\uff0c\u60c5\u51b5\u4fbf\u4f1a\u4e0d\u540c\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u73b0\u65f6\u5c24\u5176\u4ee4\u4eba\u62c5\u5fc3\u7684\u662f\u91cc\u591a\u8fd0\u6cb3 (Rideau Canal) \u4ecd\u7136\u672a\u7ed3\u51b0\u3002\u6e25\u592a\u534e\u51ac\u8282\u7684\u6d3b\u52a8\u5305\u62ec\u4e86\u7528\u91cc\u591a\u8fd0\u6cb3\u505a\u6210\u7684\u5168\u7403\u6700\u5927\u6e9c\u51b0\u573a\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u4e0d\u8fc7\uff0c\u5973\u53d1\u8a00\u4eba\u65af\u7eee\u601d (Kathryn Keyes) \u8868\u793a\uff0c\u51ac\u8282\u4e0d\u4f1a\u53d6\u6d88\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u8fd9\u4e2a\u8282\u65e5\u4e8e2004\u5e74\u4e3a\u7ecf\u6d4e\u5e26\u6765\u4e861.51\u4ebf\u5143\u7684\u6536\u76ca\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u76ee\u524d\u672a\u77e5\u9a7e\u7535\u96ea\u6a47\u53ca\u9493\u51b0\u9c7c\u7684\u6d3b\u52a8\u662f\u5426\u4e5f\u5c06\u4f1a\u53d7\u5230\u6253\u51fb\u3002\u7136\u800c\uff0c\u548c\u6e29\u7684\u5929\u6c14\u5df2\u4ee4\u5230\u4e1a\u5185\u7684\u4e00\u4e9b\u4eba\u58eb\u611f\u5230\u5fe7\u5fc3\u3002 <\/p>\n
\u5b89\u7701\u7535\u96ea\u6a47\u4ff1\u4e50\u90e8\u8054\u4f1a (Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs) \u7684\u5c3c\u9ad8\u900a (Craig Nicholson) \u8868\u793a\uff0c\u96f6\u552e\u4e1a\u65b9\u9762\u5df2\u611f\u5173\u6ce8\uff0c\u800c\u5bf9\u4e8e\u90ca\u533a\u53ca\u5317\u90e8\u5730\u533a\u6765\u8bf4\uff0c\u8fd9\u662f\u91cd\u5927\u7684\u6253\u51fb\uff0c\u56e0\u4e3a\u51ac\u5b63\u7684\u6d3b\u52a8\u9009\u62e9\u4e0d\u591a\u3002<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
1,300 laid off at Blue Mountain TANNIS TOOHEY\/ TORONTO STAR January 05, 2007 Roberta Avery, Isabel Teotonio and Nicholas Kyonka Toronto Star\/Ontario\u2019s…
Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jackjia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/721"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jackjia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jackjia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jackjia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jackjia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=721"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jackjia.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/721\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.jackjia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=721"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jackjia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=721"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.jackjia.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=721"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}