Cuts have hobbled national weather service, says report

Unreliable weather data hindering Canada's ability to make key infrastructure decisions, track climate change

Canadians who want a weather forecast these days are better off sticking their head out the window than relying on Environment Canada, according to an internal government report. Cuts to the national weather service began over a decade ago when the Liberal government decided to replace observers in the field with less reliable automatic weather-sensing machines. The trend has continued under the Conservatives and the report warns that weather data needed to track climate change and make decisions on infrastructure like roads, buildings and sewers is becoming increasingly inaccurate to the point that the weather service has fallen below international standards.