A new study by the David Suzuki Foundation predicts that much of Canada’s successful ski industry may be put out of business by climate change by the end of the century.

"If heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions are not significantly cut, global warming stands to wipe out more than half of Canada's ski season later this century with few exceptions," said Ian Bruce, author of the report, ‘On Thin Ice: Winter Sports and Climate Change.’

Mr Bruce believes that ever improving snowmaking and moving lifts and ski slopes higher up the mountain will extend the Canadian ski industry’s life longer – for those that can afford the technology and have higher slopes to move up to.

"Even with massive snowmaking efforts, many ski resorts would experience fewer than 100 days of reliable conditions each year, widely considered as the minimum threshold for financial viability, and would likely be forced to close," the report concludes.

Mr. Bruce believes that if emissions continue to grow at their current rate, British Columbia is likely to see an average five degrees Celcius temperature rise by 2090, leading to a much shorter snow season with more precipitation falling as rain on lower slopes.

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