Environment/Climate: 1)El Nino not scaring off Simcoe County ski resorts preparing for winter; 2)Collingwood approves Climate Adaptation Plan to prepare for flooding, heat and extreme weather; 3)Hydro One opens provincial distribution warehouse in Orillia following $120-million investment
1)El Nino not scaring off Simcoe County ski resorts preparing for winter
Courtesy Barrie360.com
By Julius Hern, October 3, 2026
After a record-setting winter for snowfall, skiers and snowboarders may not be blessed with the same conditions this year.
But local ski resorts aren’t letting the forecast get in the way of preparing for another successful season.
Much like the winter of 2023-2024, a potentially record-strength El Niño is raising the prospect of a warmer-than-normal winter and less snowfall across parts of southern Canada.
That was a winter where… in Barrie, we ended up with every month except November was warmer than normal,” David Phillips, a former climatologist for Environment Canada, told Barrie360. “The average temperature was almost four and a half degrees warmer than normal… There was more rain than snow… you couldn’t make snow.”https://barrie.weatherstats.ca/icharts/temperature-monthly.html?width=450;height=300
El Niño is a climate pattern that occurs when ocean water in the central and eastern tropical regions of the Pacific Ocean becomes warmer than usual. It subsequently alters the jet stream across North America and changes weather patterns in many parts of the world.
A warmer, less snowy winter could make for a more challenging ski season in Simcoe County.
Despite the potentially challenging forecast, local ski hill operators say they’re not changing course.
“We are not making major operational changes solely because of the El Nino forecast,” John Ball, general manager at Ski Snow Valley in Springwater, wrote in an email to Barrie360. “Preparing for temperature changes, rain and freeze–thaw cycles is part of our planning every season. We focus on what we can control: preparing the resort, responding quickly to changing conditions and providing the best possible experience for our guests.”
Temperature, humidity and the length of each snowmaking window are what the resort monitors most closely ahead of and during the season.
Over the past three seasons, the resort has invested almost $3 million in low-energy snowmaking equipment, which Ball said allows the resort to take advantage of shorter windows for making snow.
“A particularly poor weather season can increase operating costs and reduce visitation, especially early in the winter, but our snowmaking capability helps reduce our reliance on natural snowfall,” Ball added.
Blue Mountain’s website says the ideal conditions for artificial snowmaking require temperatures around -2.5 C or lower and it takes anywhere from 72 to 96 hours of snowmaking and grooming time to prepare the surface.
However, drier air that typically comes seldom with El Nino patterns, can make the process much more efficient.
Artificial snow can also be more resistant to melting during rain, giving resorts another advantage against Mother Nature.
For Horseshoe Resort, which is also heading into the season with a positive outlook, taking advantage of Mother Nature’s windows for prime snowmaking is just as important.
“Our team is experienced in making the most of favourable conditions, and snowmaking allows us to be proactive rather than relying solely on natural snowfall,” a resort spokesperson wrote in an email to Barrie360. “Even if temperatures rise, having a good, maintained snow layer to get us through until temperatures drop is what counts.”
The Oro-Medonte resort says its hills’ positioning away from much of the afternoon sun, which helps keep the ground at a cooler temperature, along with its own recent investments in snowmaking put it in a favourable position to withstand potentially unseasonable conditions.
However, it’s most reliant on natural snowfall when it comes to its Nordic ski trails, which require 10 to 15 centimetres to set tracks without the possibility of damaging equipment.
Phillips says the El Niño forecast for this winter will likely peak in November and December, describing it as the “Godzilla of El Niños.” But he cautioned that the pattern doesn’t guarantee consistently mild weather.
“There are wildcards,” Phillips said, pointing to the possibility of disruptions to the polar vortex that could bring periods of much colder weather.
Ultimately, though, the weather will determine when the resorts can open and how long they can stay open.
Snow Valley, like many other resorts, says its opening date remains weather-dependent. Since the 2003-04 season, the resort has averaged 102.6 operating days, with its earliest opening in that span coming on Nov. 22 and its latest closing coming on Apr. 6.
—with files from Dan Blakeley
2)Collingwood approves Climate Adaptation Plan to prepare for flooding, heat and extreme weather
Courtesy Barrie360.com and News Release
By Staff, October 6, 2026
Collingwood council has endorsed a new Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan aimed at helping the community prepare for the impacts of increasingly severe weather, including heavier rainfall, flooding, hotter summers, shoreline erosion and warmer winters.
The plan serves as a roadmap for how the town will respond to climate-related risks already being felt across the community. Built around the themes of People and Community, Services and Operations, and Natural Environment, the strategy includes 19 actions designed to improve preparedness and protect municipal services, infrastructure and natural assets.
Mayor Yvonne Hamlin said the plan is focused on practical steps rather than predictions.
“Adaptation is about practical planning for weather conditions we are already seeing in Collingwood,” said Mayor Hamlin. “Preparing early helps protect residents, properties, and the services people count on. It also helps the Town plan ahead, make informed budget decisions and reduce the costs that can come with emergency repairs after severe weather.”
Town officials say the plan was developed using local climate data, technical analysis, input from municipal staff and regional partners, as well as feedback from residents. That work helped identify the climate-related challenges expected to have the greatest impact on Collingwood in the years ahead.
Among its goals, the plan aims to reduce risks associated with flooding, heavy rainfall and extreme heat while ensuring roads, stormwater systems, municipal buildings and other key services continue operating reliably during severe weather events.
The strategy also calls for measures to protect parks, trails, wetlands, shorelines and other environmentally sensitive areas. Additional actions focus on strengthening emergency planning, improving community readiness and providing residents with information to help them prepare for extreme weather.
Council’s endorsement moves the plan into the implementation phase. The town says actions will be advanced over time through municipal work plans, asset management initiatives, approved projects and future budget processes.
Residents are also being encouraged to take steps of their own to prepare for extreme weather, including creating a household emergency plan, maintaining proper drainage around their properties, keeping eavestroughs and downspouts clear, and checking on neighbours during significant weather events.
Town officials say the Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan is intended to remain a living document that can evolve as conditions change and new priorities emerge.
residents can review the full plan collingwood.ca/climate-adaptation-action-plan.
What residents can do now to prepare for extreme weather
Create a household emergency plan
Check drainage around your property
Keep eavestroughs and downspouts clear
Check on neighbours during extreme weather events
3)Hydro One opens provincial distribution warehouse in Orillia following $120-million investment
Courtesy Barrie360.com and News Release
By Staff, October 7, 2026
Hydro One opens new provincial distribution warehouse in Orillia following $120-million investment
Hydro One has completed an approximately $120-million investment in Orillia with the opening of its new provincial distribution warehouse, a facility the company says will strengthen Ontario’s electricity supply chain and improve access to critical equipment across the province.
The 120,000-square-foot warehouse is located beside Hydro One’s regional operations centre and brings the utility’s warehouse operations together under one roof. The facility establishes Orillia as Hydro One’s provincial supply chain hub and will support the storage and distribution of equipment and materials used throughout Ontario.
The opening marks the latest milestone in Hydro One’s investment in the community.
In March, Hydro One hosted provincial officials in Orillia to celebrate the opening of its regional operations centre while reflecting on one year since the province’s historic 2025 ice storm. The event underscored the importance of having the people, equipment and infrastructure in place to support Ontario’s electricity system during emergencies and major weather events.
The new warehouse consolidates operations that were previously based in Barrie, creating a centralized location for inventory management and distribution.
Hydro One says the facility will improve efficiency by bringing inventory and warehouse operations together in one location, while strengthening partnerships with Ontario and Canadian suppliers. The company adds that the warehouse will help ensure crews have timely access to the equipment and materials needed to maintain, restore and expand Ontario’s electricity network.
The investment is part of Hydro One’s broader efforts to modernize its operations and support the growing demands on Ontario’s electricity system.
With the warehouse now fully operational, Orillia is set to play a key role in supporting Hydro One’s supply chain and delivering critical infrastructure materials to communities across the province.