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Budget struggles impact Environment Canada
Aug
15
2011
A climate scientist in Halifax leads an expert team into the rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean to collect temperature data to predict the intensity of abnormal storm patterns expected in the coming months. A weather forecaster in Vancouver ...
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A climate scientist in Halifax leads an expert team into the rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean to collect temperature data to predict the intensity of abnormal storm patterns expected in the coming months. A weather forecaster in Vancouver collects weather records to try and explain the unprecedented heat waves occurring in the city. You may be wondering what these two job descriptions on opposite ends of the country have in common. They are both at risk of being eliminated after officials from the federal government announced 776 job cuts to Environment Canada. Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board, whose mandate it is to rein in $4 billion in annual savings, said that the cuts will not affect the protection of air and water.
The government has yet to release a more detailed outline of what jobs will be affected. However, the government has noted that chemists, climate scientists, meteorologists, computer scientists, engineers and communications staff are among those at risk.
These cuts could not have come at a worse time, considering that Canada is facing a barrage of extreme weather conditions. A new reality is emerging in Canada’s diverse climate, a reality filled with forest fires, heat waves and flooding. If the country’s environmental department cannot cope with these adaptation concerns, we are sure to face negative economic impacts and a potential risk to public safety. Specifically, during the flooding in southeast Saskatchewan, Environment Canada was responsible for providing the information from steam-flow gauges which allowed technicians and engineers to know how high the dikes should be built to manage the influx of water. Without these key agency positions, the flooding may have been much more devastating.
Canada is not the only country looking at cutting its environmental department to try and curb out of control deficits. The United States has cut the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency by 16% this fiscal year, according to the New York Times. The cuts in the U.S. have included a wide range of jobs, from forest protection to research and innovation to climate change investment.
These new cuts also pull back on climate change efforts at a time when they should be growing. It was in fact Environment Canada who released a report before the August long weekend stating that the government will need to work ten times harder to meet our current greenhouse gas emissions target.
These new cuts, along with millions of dollars for oil and gas subsidies, seem to suggest a broader picture of what the government’s priorities are and are not.
Matt Stergiou is a Young Reporter at Large for Environmental Defence. He is presently a grade 12 student at Bradford District High School. Matt became involved in environmental protection when he met with former U.S. Vice President Al Gore last year to learn his Inconvenient Truth slideshow. Matt has presented this slideshow to over 5,000 students across Ontario and hopes to speak to 10,000 by the end of high school. Matt plans to attend university to become an environmental lawyer and eventually get in to politics.
*The views expressed in guest blogs are his/her own and do not necessarily reflect those of Environmental Defence.
leave a comment
Aug
15
2011
Thank you
Darren says:
I'm 51 years old. I have to say, I'm very impressed that a man of your young age has such an incredible vision.
Thank you.
Aug
21
2011
Thanks Darren! I really
Matt Stergiou says:
Thanks Darren! I really appreciate your kind words. I am a strong supporter of young people getting involved with solving climate change as our generations future is at great risk. I'm always glad to hear from folks who are working hard to solve the climate crisis, keep doing what you're doing!
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