To help Atlantic Canada tackle the impacts of climate change, a new climate information initiative has been established to serve the region.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change (ECCC) Jonathan Wilkinson announced $1.65 million in federal funding – to be handed out over the next three years – to support the launch and operation of CLIMAtlantic. CLIMAtlantic is a new regional hub for climate services serving the four Atlantic provinces of New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
When it is fully staffed and operational this fall, CLIMAtlantic will provide accessible, regional, and authoritative climate information, data, tools, and training. The centre will aid businesses, community organizations and governments in integrating climate information into their decision making.
“CLIMAtlantic is the newest addition to ECCC's growing network of organizations with climate expertise, supported by our department's Canadian Centre for Climate Services. This new hub is a great example of federal-provincial cooperation and is part of the Government of Canada's ongoing commitment to take concrete action and help Canadians adapt to climate change,” said Minister Wilkinson.
“The network includes Ouranos (Quebec), the Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium (BC), and ClimateWest (Prairies). Collaboration is at the core of each of these regional climate centres. Regional climate data hubs support efforts to make all communities more resilient to extreme weather events,” said CLIMAtlantic executive director Sabine Dietz.
In a release, ECCC shared some quick facts about the impacts of climate change on Atlantic Canada:
