KITCHENER -- Ski hills will be allowed to open in Ontario once the province lifts its stay-at-home order.

The hills are quiet for now, but there's anticipation in the air.

"We are extremely excited to be able to get going again," said Bill Creighton, CEO of Chicopee Ski and Summer Resort.

Creighton said they're offering jobs to 600 people laid off around Christmas when the province-wide shutdown came into effect.

The ski hill is preparing for an opening day some time next week. The stay-at-home order was extended to Feb. 16 in Waterloo Region.

"This is our season," Creighton said. "This is the golden goose, so we've been missing out on that."

Creighton said people will need to wear masks while on the property.

"Whether you're in a lift line, whether you're going up the lift, you'll have to wear a mask," he said.

People can choose to take them off while going down the hill.

Creighton said they lost about half the season, and there will be about 40 days for people to come out and enjoy the snow.

"The stock of our industry is small, family-run enterprises and retailers across Canada," said Paul Pinchbeck, president and CEO of The Canadian Ski Council. "We are excited by reopening."

Pinchbeck said the industry worked hard to develop safety protocols and show the government ski hills can operate safely.

"Let's not sugar coat it, it's still going to be a tough session," he said. "We're going to operate at reduced capacity for less than half our year, but we're happy to be bringing employees back to work, happy to get some cash flow."

"It's really important that they're viable," said Lisa MacLeod, minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture industries. "We want to make sure that, when we come out of this pandemic, they are still able to operate next year."

Winter sport enthusiasts are excited to get back onto the hills.

"The pent-up demand to be out here on the hill, skiing and snowboarding, getting out in the fresh air, getting that stress relief, is huge," Creighton said.

"A big part of getting through the winter is outdoor recreation," MacLeod said. "That's why it's absolutely critical we get them safely reopened."