Audit of Contingency Plans for the Meteorological Service of Canada Weather Prediction Program

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5.0 AUDIT RECOMMENDATIONS

All of these factors have created additional pressures and have had an impact on the overall effectiveness of the Weather Prediction Program and its compliance with government policies and standards. As a result of these key findings, we propose four recommendations:

1. That the Weather and Environmental Services Board establish a formal, integrated National Contingency Planning Program that includes a governance structure to

   1. address an appropriate framework for contingency planning strategies, processes and procedures;
   2. establish a national, standardized approach for the development, implementation, maintenance and testing of an integrated suite of contingency plans for the Meteorological Service of Canada; and
   3. ensure formal management sign-off at various stages of contingency planning.
      
      
2. That the Weather and Environmental Services Board establish the full-time role of Meteorological Service of Canada National Contingency Planning Coordinator. The coordinator would lead the Service's National Contingency Planning Program and would
   
   
   1. report to the Board;
   2. develop a national communications strategy for contingency planning;
   3. work in partnership with three assigned contingency planning coordinators from the monitoring, production and services components of the Weather Prediction Program;
   4. collaborate with the Chief Information Officer Branch and Assets, Contracting and Environmental Management Directorate; and
   5. liaise with the Departmental Security Officer for Business Continuity Planning Program coordination.
      
      
3. That the Meteorological Service of Canada National Contingency Planning Coordinator, in conjunction with the departmental Business Continuity Planning Program Coordinator, undertake a high-level risk assessment for the Service. Subsequently, the National Contingency Planning Coordinator would collaborate with the three assigned contingency planning coordinators from the monitoring, production and services components of the Weather Prediction Program to develop formal and approved business impact analyses for each Meteorological Service of Canada component. These analyses would guide the development of contingency plans, measures and arrangements for each of the components, within the scope of the National Contingency Planning Program.
   
   
4. That, in order to meet the stated priority for contingency planning, the Weather and Environmental Services Board allocate an appropriate level of resources to successfully implement the Meteorological Service of Canada National Contingency Planning Program.

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