776 Environment Canada jobs could be cut

[on_wx]

This just after the gov't announced a $27million funding increase to the weather service.

19 meteorologists face job loss across the country in weather offices already plagued by staff shortages

Snippets--

The cuts represent 11 per cent of the workforce at Environment Canada, calling into question the department’s ability to carry on its mandate, said Bill Pynn, national president of the Union of Environment Workers, which represents 476 of the affected workers.

But he highlighted the cut of 19 meteorologists — most of them in Ontario and the Prairies — at a time when concerns about extreme weather events are on the rise.

http://www.thestar.c...-chopping-block

[k***]

EC is the worst. God Bless the NWS.

[HurricaneJosh]

EC is the worst. God Bless the NWS.

That's not nice.

on_wx, I'm sorry to hear about these cuts-- that's a real bummer.

[phil882]

Wait why are the cuts occurring again if they got a funding increase?

[andyhb]

Going to cost lives one day...

[on_wx]

Wait why are the cuts occurring again if they got a funding increase?

Yeah the funding boost was supposed to in part go to training the very few meteorologists left at EC about new technology and to improve forecasting techniques etc. 19 meteorologists doesn't sound like a lot. But when you consider EC WFO's have five to ten or so mets covering an area 1/3 the size of the US.... etc.

Who knows. I guess not enough tornadoes have hit cities this year. Last year city after city was being taken out, everyone was asking what could be done to prevent death and injury and EC was in the spotlight. Guess the gov't has moved on.

[on_wx]

Going to cost lives one day...

No doubt. During the August 20 2009 tornado outbreak EC was not capable of dealing with such a large scale outbreak. The only option was to put 33% of Canada's population under a massive tornado warning(at once) and hope for the best.

A child was killed during the tornado outbreak, and people asked why... because the police and counties don't receive weather warnings so no one knew to warn. The child died at a day camp after they heard thunder and sought shelter under a picnic shelter. There was a brief media storm to expand the tornado siren network and to make a better tornado warning system. But it's faded out of the spotlight. Even all the counties who were debating sirens and advertising weather radios have just moved on.

Also funny to think the feds just spent $1million last year to put weather radios in schools.

[on_wx]

Here is a map of current EC WFO's

[andyhb]

No doubt. During the August 20 2009 tornado outbreak EC was not capable of dealing with such a large scale outbreak. The only option was to put 33% of Canada's population under a massive tornado warning(at once) and hope for the best.

A child was killed during the tornado outbreak, and people asked why... because the police and counties don't receive weather warnings so no one knew to warn. The child died at a day camp after they heard thunder and sought shelter under a picnic shelter. There was a brief media storm to expand the tornado siren network and to make a better tornado warning system. But it's faded out of the spotlight. Even all the counties who were debating sirens and advertising weather radios have just moved on.

Also funny to think the feds just spent $1million last year to put weather radios in schools.

Also if I remember correctly, most of the tornadoes in that outbreak were relatively weak (I don't believe any were higher than EF2) and from what your saying it sounds like they weren't even ready to deal with that. Absolute disaster waiting to happen when another Edmonton, Pine Lake, Elie or Barrie happens again...

[SnowGoose69]

I'm sure this will enthrall all the U.S. citizens already trying to get into the NWS. As if the competition is not already stiff enough now we may be adding Canadian Mets to it as well though I do not know if you can be hired as a U.S. government employee without U.S. citizenship.

[schlontz]

I'm sure this will enthrall all the U.S. citizens already trying to get into the NWS. As if the competition is not already stiff enough now we may be adding Canadian Mets to it as well though I do not know if you can be hired as a U.S. government employee without U.S. citizenship.

The NWS job descriptions state that you have to be a US citizen to apply, so no worries there. The private sector, on the other hand, just became that much more competitive.

[Mencken_Fan]

Here is a map of current EC WFO's

Looking at your map; combined with the fact weather cares none about political boundaries, I'm reminded of my cold war days serving in NORAD. The North American Air Defense Command was just that, a joint North American operation where Canadians served alongside Americans as we monitored the entire continent for air defense (of course there was no strategic need for Mexico being an air attack would not arrive from the south.)

Neither weather nor radar stops at state, provincial, or national boundaries. And doesn't it look weird to see U.S. weather charts...where weather magically ends at our national boundary?

Perhaps some day the two services might unite? That may sound far-fetched but one never knows what the future may behold.

[SnowGoose69]

The NWS job descriptions state that you have to be a US citizen to apply, so no worries there. The private sector, on the other hand, just became that much more competitive.

There is a big private company I believe in Canada which several U.S. people have used before as a route to get into environment canada by working there for several years, becoming a citizen and then advancing over. I don't know remember what the name of the company is but believe they are in Hamilton or somewhere nearby.

[on_wx]

There is a big private company I believe in Canada which several U.S. people have used before as a route to get into environment canada by working there for several years, becoming a citizen and then advancing over. I don't know remember what the name of the company is but believe they are in Hamilton or somewhere nearby.

I haven't heard of this company. Only legitimate meteorological providers I can think of are The Weather Network, Environment Canada, or select tv stations with actual meteorologists not just journalists relaying the forecast.

Hamilton is fairly close to The Weather Network HQ in Oakville and there is a very large EC office just outside of Hamilton in Burlington.

News of the job cuts aren't taking too well with Canadians. Hopefully all this media attention will change the minds of the new government.

[SnowGoose69]

I haven't heard of this company. Only legitimate meteorological providers I can think of are The Weather Network, Environment Canada, or select tv stations with actual meteorologists not just journalists relaying the forecast.

Hamilton is fairly close to The Weather Network HQ in Oakville and there is a very large EC office just outside of Hamilton in Burlington.

News of the job cuts aren't taking too well with Canadians. Hopefully all this media attention will change the minds of the new government.

The Weather Network is I believe the place I was thinking of.

[on_wx]

New article about concerns on the Prairies and how the public are concerned. The government hasn't changed their stance and are cutting 58 positions reportedly in the Prairie Region, including meteorologists.

</h3>

<h3>Objectives unchanged

Environment Canada has tried to reassure people about its services. "I can't hammer it home enough that our key objectives have not changed," said spokesman Mark Johnson.

Greg Johnson said there is already a void in Environment Canada's system as there are just two weather offices in the region, one in Edmonton and one in Winnipeg. The same geographic area in the United States is covered by 75 National Weather Service offices, he said.

Pomeroy said all Canadians will eventually be affected. "I think the rural people will see it ... but eventually the cities will see this as well when Wascana Creek (in Regina) floods or there's a severe rainstorm event that isn't forecasted correctly that causes local flooding ... or a tornado warning that doesn't go out right. And that's what happens as you lose people."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2011/08/10/mb-environment-job-cuts-flood-water.html

[andyhb]

New article about concerns on the Prairies and how the public are concerned. The government hasn't changed their stance and are cutting 58 positions reportedly in the Prairie Region, including meteorologists.

</h3>

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...lood-water.html

Pretty much bang on there...