Environment Canada is using words like refocusing and transitioning to describe changes to the weather services it provides.
For farmers, that could mean turning more often to private firms for customized weather data or specialized forecasts, said Phil Jacobson, who co-ordinates cost recovery and private sector relations for the department’s Meteorological Service of Canada.
However, he said requests for information will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and raw historical data on items like temperatures and precipitation can still be gotten free of charge from the MSC.
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“There’s so many service needs and so many service requirements out there that we just can’t meet them all on our own. We’re essentially trying to work with various partners, such as the private sector, to meet the demand.”
Jacobson said the Meteorological Service of Canada is putting more of its attention on core needs, such as severe storm warning forecasts and its study of global warming.
The MSC will attempt to link people with private companies requesting services that it cannot provide, Jacobson said.
“We don’t want to leave anybody high and dry.”
“The costs shouldn’t be changing,” he said, noting that fees for things like customized weather data tend to be similar between private meteorological companies and the MSC.
He said one reason for the changes was concern from the private sector about unfair competition from a government department. A few years ago, the mood between the MSC and private firms marketing weather information was adversarial. That mood has since become more collegial.
“It has worked into quite a good rapport,” Jacobson said.
As part of its new thrust, the Meteorological Service is establishing an office in Regina designed specifically for agriculture. Jacobson said that office plans to learn more about the needs of farmers when it comes to weather information and finding ways to enhance the services provided, partly through co-operation with private companies.
“It’s to try to help promote the benefits of meteorology to that specific sector.”
Jacobson said budget cuts are not behind the changes happening at the meteorological service.
