CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF
Toronto is considering privatizing two publicly owned ski hills and a campground - a move that would save the city money but end free skiing for the poor and likely raise the cost of lift tickets for everyone.
The staff proposal to contract out day-to-day operations at Centennial Park Ski and Snowboard Centre in Etobicoke, Earl Bales Ski and Snowboard Centre in North York, and Glen Rouge Campground in Scarborough is expected to save the city $179,000 this year and $536,000 next year, according to confidential budget documents viewed by The Globe and Mail.
The documents say that the "welcome policy" - which covers passes and recreation fees for low-income Torontonians - would no longer apply on the slopes if the city's parks, forestry and recreation division stopped running the ski hills.
"This would be breaking new ground if we were to do this," said Councillor Joe Mihevc, a member of the budget committee. "In the end, what it will mean for residents is an increase in fees to use [the hills] and it would exclude people who would have difficulty paying."
Although the 2010 budget was released amid fanfare two weeks ago, the plan to privatize ski hills and the campsite only came to light yesterday when the union representing workers at the attractions received a list of potential job cuts from the city.
"We have been very critical of the city doing their budget in private," said Ann Dembinski, president of Local 79 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees. "We were caught totally off-guard."
CUPE issued a press release yesterday saying the city was considering selling outright or shutting down the ski hills and the campground. A city spokesman said that wasn't true. The confidential documents make no mention of selling or closing the attractions.
The budget documents say that privatizing the hills would reduce staff by five full-time positions and 10.7 temporary positions. But Ms. Dembinski said the list of potential cuts provided by the city last week affected 360 people at the ski hills and the campground. Many of those employees are part-time, seasonal workers who might teach one or two ski lessons a week, a CUPE spokeswoman added.
Budget chief Shelley Carroll defended the city's decision to bury the controversial proposal in sealed documents. She declined to elaborate on the proposal's implications.
"I'm not trying to be cute about this, but in fact I can't tell you exactly," she said. "[This proposal]needs to be considered in camera because we're dealing with real people and their jobs."
Like the rest of the budget, the ski-hill proposal would have to survive votes by the budget committee and the full council to be implemented.
"I think it's worth looking at," said Councillor Doug Holyday, in whose ward the Centennial ski hill is located. "If we're going to cut our costs, I think it's absolutely necessary that we check out other ways of delivering services."
If council votes in favour of privatization, the parks department would put out a request for proposals to find a private operator in time for the 2010-2011 ski season. It's too early to say how that arrangement might work and whether the city would retain any control over the price of lift tickets or camping.
Toronto already contracts out the operations of its five publicly owned golf courses - Dentonia, Don Valley, Humber Valley, Scarlett Woods and Tam O'Shanter - to Golf Plus Marketing, Inc. The city pays Golf Plus $315,000 a year before taxes to run the courses and clubhouses.
Last year, the courses turned a $400,000 profit, less than usual because of the 39-day municipal strike in the middle of golf season. In 2008, the courses turned a $1.1-million profit. Council voted last week to extend its deal with Golf Plus.
Mr. Mihevc was skeptical that council would approve contracting out operations on the slopes and at campgrounds
"I would conclude, frankly, that I don't think council is going to have an appetite for this," he said.
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HITTING THE SLOPES ON THE CHEAP
Toronto's publicly owned and operated ski hills offer less expensive lift tickets than privately owned competitors. Taxpayers subsidize the slopes to keep rates low. A comparison of prices at city-run and other GTA hills:
Cost of an all-day, regular-season adult lift pass at city-run ski hills (Centennial in Etobicoke, and Earl Bales in North York): $25
Cost of an all-day, regular-season adult lift pass at other area hills:
Glen Eden, Milton: $35
Caledon Ski Club: $45
Snow Valley, Barrie: $46
Horseshoe Resort, Barrie: $49
(for junior/senior skiers)
Brimacombe, Oshawa: $49
(weekends), $40 (midweek)
Skyloft, Uxbridge: $50
Kelly Grant