The Manitoba government has provided $200,000 to the Prairie Climate Centre to support the continued development of the Climate Atlas of Canada,

A new section devoted to agriculture was unveiled to coincide with Earth Day, coming up this Sunday, April 22.

“The effects of climate change are real, and our support of the Prairie Climate Centre will allow them to further customize the Climate Atlas of Canada for Manitoba,” said Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires. “With our Made-in-Manitoba Climate and Green Plan we are working to make a difference. Having this kind of information will support applied decision-making for all Manitobans. The newly released agriculture section can help guide local producers directly affected by climate change.”

The Climate Atlas of Canada is a next generation climate science and communication tool that allows users to see data from 12 global climate models for about 2,000 towns, cities and regions, and has 250 corresponding interactive map layers developed across the country. Included in the atlas are videos, articles and topics that help tell the story of climate change, its potential impacts in Manitoba and opportunities for Manitobans to be part of the solution.

“Our researchers are deeply committed to working with partners to make science accessible and solve problems,” said Dr. Annette Trimbee, president and vice-chancellor, UWinnipeg. “The support of the provincial government allows the research team at our Prairie Climate Centre to continue creating data and narratives on climate change that Manitobans, and all Canadians, from every walk of life can use to make informed decisions.”

The theme of this year’s Earth Day is a call to end plastic pollution.

For more information on the Climate Atlas of Canada, visit www.climateatlas.ca.