With many COVID-19 restrictions eased or eliminated, some tourism operators are expecting a busy long weekend.
The province entered the latest phase of its reopening plan on Thursday, eliminating capacity limits at several indoor venues.
With that, officials from the Blue Mountain Village say they expect an influx of guests this Family Day weekend.
"I don't think we should just be looking at any one week or any one weekend," says Andrew Siegwart, the president of the Blue Mountain Village. "The bottom line is reopening does not mean recovery, and that's a message I want to be very clear on."
Siegwart says while any increase in business is positive, a sudden inpouring of visitors does not negate the challenges many operators in the tourism sector face.
While supply chain issues impact some, he says a shortage in labour continues to plague most business owners.
"Attainable housing is unheard of in our community, so to find places for new employees to work and live in our communities is really challenging, and then, of course, you have all the rising costs and supply chain issues."
The village association is working with other community leaders to improve the area's housing supply.
"There are some great initiatives and committee work in our community looking at doing the same at places like Collingwood," he says. "But the message I'm sharing with everyone right now is that it can't be a solution that takes four more years. We have to get momentum on it very fast."
The provincial government has provided multiple support programs throughout the pandemic, which Siegwart says served as a crucial lifeline for many business owners to keep operating.
The Ontario government recently announced over $340,000 in financial support for operators of amusement devices and ski lifts.
But, Siegwart says the focus needs to shift to ensuring support for businesses trying to recover from consistent shutdowns over the last two years.
He estimates that the process could take up to four years.
"So that will likely be continued investments, shifting programs from being short-term to maybe a bit more longer term," he says.
"Then I think more importantly is getting creative about those infrastructure investments that we need to get the private sector engaged, building attainable housing, more transportation innovation, etc."
COUNTY ROLLS OUT SUPPORT PROGRAM
The County of Simcoe is also providing support to operators throughout the region. It recently rolled out its Tourism, Culture and Sports Enhancement Fund, a support program for tourism operators who qualify as not-for-profit.
"We are very excited about this announcement and the loosening of the restrictions, of course," says Brianne Harris, a development coordinator with Tourism Simcoe County.
"We're hoping that this time around we can stay open and that the community will continue to support the businesses that are here in Simcoe County that are open."
Harris notes the province is also offering support programs for consumers to increase demand to visit local tourism operators.
Ontario's so-called 'stay-cation' tax credit will cover up to 20 per cent of accommodation costs at any resort in the province.
One of those local resorts is Fern Resort in Ramara.
While restrictions have eased, it is operating at 65 per cent of its normal occupancy as part of a cautious approach.
"We're comfortable at that now, and I think that our guests are going to be comfortable with that level as well," says owner Mark Downing.
"We're not taking any more bookings just so that everything unfolds and we're able to fully deliver on our experience."
