The Ministry of Environment Canada

Does the ministry of Environment Canada do anything for you? If you're Canadian and interested in the environment, the weather, or the national environmental regulations it might.

The environment Canada website should have the information you are seeking. This federal agency maintains lists of regulations

and acts that have been passed in Canada, as well as other relavant information.

In fact, they have coined the term EnviroRegs to refer to regulations designed to protect the environment.

The internet probably needs more portals for accessing important information such as this, and there is possibly money to be made in doing so. Find out how you can get a piece of the action.

One particular regulation from the government of Canada weather division is called the "Weather Modification Information Act." This act requires a person to give information about any proposed weather modification activity to the ministry of Environment Canada.

The division they must inform is now called the Meteorological Services of Canada. People modifying the weather must keep a daily record and report their activities to the government.

Excuse me, Modifying the Weather?

Cloud Seeding device on a plane

One example is what is commonly called "cloud seeding." Through this process, rainfall can be enhanced and snow can be made to fall

on places such as ski slopes that need the white stuff for business.

Researchers began experimenting with cloud seeding in the 1940's. By the '50's, it was getting used quite regularly, and has been through much testing and improvement over the past 50 years.

The first substance added to clouds to increase of rainfall was dry ice, frozen carbon dioxide particles. Precipitation can be increased by up to 20 percent or so in the winter months, and as much as 100 percent in the summer.

People who seed clouds need a special set of expertise. And it can be done from ground stations as well as by airplanes. Other common weather modifications include fog dispersal and hail reduction. Companies like Weather Modification Inc. do this prefessionally.

Interest groups that sponsor weather modifications include city governments, hydroelectric power plants, farms, airports, and ski areas. While it is legal to carry out these activities, which by and large do not harm the environment, the ministry of Environment Canada must be kept informed.

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