Angèle Simard: retired Director General, Weather and Environmental Operations

Meet Angèle Simard.

Angèle Simard worked with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for 34 years before retiring from her position as the Director General, Weather and Environmental Operations for the Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) in 2009. She represented the MSC at national and international levels over the span of her career, and chaired the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Program on Data Processing and Forecasting Systems.

Angèle began her career in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in 1975. She worked on a local military base as a civilian forecaster, providing aviation meteorological services. A highlight of this experience was when she had the opportunity to fly in a tutor aircraft, the same model used by the Snowbirds aerobatics team.

Angèle took on new challenges and assignments advancing within weather operations in Canada over the following years. In her position as Director of the MSC Informatics Branch, she was responsible for modernizing the National Telecom Infrastructure, and led ECCC’s acquisition of one of the most powerful supercomputers available in the world at the time, among many other accomplishments.

Throughout her career, Angèle worked with internationally renowned Canadian scientists who made significant improvements to numerical weather prediction models. She played an essential role in weather forecast automation, allowing forecasters more time to concentrate on issues such as extreme weather events and emergencies.

In each of her roles at ECCC, Angèle stressed the importance of the people within her organization. “None of this would have been accomplished without the creativity, dedication and passion of the people I am grateful to have worked with throughout my career.”

To learn more about the advancements of Canada’s Weather Service, visit: Timeline: Major milestones of the Meteorological Service of Canada

Here are a few random facts about Angèle:

• What was your first job? Monitor of outdoor playground programs.
• If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be? I have travelled a lot over the years and visited many countries. I would like to see the Taj Mahal.
• If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be? Swiss cheese fondue.
• What are your hobbies? When I retired, I continued to play badminton and started to play piano. I have also been participating in bridge tournaments, and travelling to many countries.
• What is your favourite game or sport to watch and play? My favorite sport to play is Badminton. I enjoy watching swimming and diving events.
• If you were a super-hero, what powers would you have? I would end wars.
• Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 10 years from now, I see myself as a healthy, happy, active woman surrounded by her loving family.

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