(A portion of this letter was submitted to the Editor of the Globe and Mail on July 1, 2026)
It is the last hour of Canada Day. Today has been marked by extreme and dangerous weather across much of the country. From severe storms and rain that cancelled Canada Day festivities in Ottawa, to extreme heat in Toronto, wildfires in Labrador, and more flooding in Edmonton.
What ties this all together and keeps Canadians informed and safe is weather and climate information from Environment and Climate Chnage Canada.
The Carney government has announced massive cuts to Environment Canada that will impact everything from radar service, radio broadcasts, climate observations, and data retention.
Here is the full text of the petition. as of writing there are 488 signatures! We need thousands!
Petition to the Government of Canada
Whereas:
- Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) plays a critical role in protecting Canadians through weather forecasting, severe weather warnings, climate monitoring and scientific research;
- Canada is experiencing increasingly frequent and severe weather and climate related events, including wildfires, floods, atmospheric rivers, hurricanes, heat waves, winter storms and derechos;
- Weather radar research, observation stations, Weatheradio services and frontline meteorological staff are essential public safety tools, particularly for rural, remote and Indigenous communities;
- Recent and proposed reductions to ECCC staffing, research capacity, and public weather services risk weakening Canada’s ability to predict, monitor, and respond to dangerous weather events;
- Reliable weather forecasting and climate science are vital to emergency preparedness, transportation safety, agriculture, marine operations and public confidence; and
- Canadians deserve a strong, modern and fully supported public weather service.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to
1. Reverse cuts to Environment and Climate Change Canada that impact weather forecasting, meteorological research and climate science;
2. Restore and maintain Weatheradio and other accessible public alert systems;
3. Protect and expand weather observation and climate monitoring stations across Canada;
4. Ensure adequate staffing and long-term funding for ECCC programs, scientists, meteorologists and technical experts; and
5. Recognize weather forecasting and climate monitoring as essential public safety infrastructure.