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Environment minister tours Ontario Storm Prediction Centre

TORONTO – Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq was given a personal tour of the Ontario Storm Prediction Centre at the Environment Canada building in Downsview, Ont. on Thursday.

Minister Aglukkaq was shown around the centre which helps predict and track storms, as well as issuing weather watches and warnings.

“With the severe weather season this summer and still ongoing, it is fitting to begin here at Environment Canada’s Storm Prediction Centre,” said Minister Aglukkaq. “This centre provides globally-respected weather services and world-leading scientific experts and technology.”

The minister was introduced by renowned Environment Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips, who gave her the first copy of his best-selling 2014 Canadian Weather Trivia Calendar.

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“You know minister, we’ve even brought you a Nunavut summer day here in Toronto,” Phillips said, referencing the cooler temperatures the city has been experiencing.

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Aglukkaq, who is from Nunavut, acknowledged the importance of nature and the environment to Aboriginal Peoples.

“As I’ve said many times, I come from a culture whose relationship with the land and the water is [an] important part of our identity and our every day lives,” she said. “For example, we still rely on the wildlife in the north to feed our families, so it is essential that we safeguard our air, water, and natural environment.”

The minister was asked about infrastructure concerns in Toronto following the July 8 storm that caused an estimated $850 million in damages. She said that there would be important lessons to learn moving forward.

“The flood impacted many people in this region,” Aglukkaq said. “Of course those recommendations and reports come through and we have to review them, but we also have to look at how we design our cities to respond better to severe storms.”

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