Twice a year Transport Canada and the Atmospheric Environment Service conduct annual inspection tours of Contract Weather Stations throughout British Columbia. Most of the contract weather stations in B.C. are funded by Transport Canada and managed by AES.

This year a special Regional Director General Award was presented to the Sparwood contract weather station, located in the Kootenay region of B.C. for their overall high performance record. The Sparwood weather observing station was recognized for their higher than average quality observations and lowest percentage of errors for the 1988 calendar year. For the past five years they have consistently been one of the top contract weather stations in the Pacific Region.

Other honorable mentions for 1988 include contract weather stations Squamish and Mackenzie also for their high record of quality observations. The Regional Director General's Award of Excellence for contract weather stations has now become an annual recognition award in the Pacific Region for maintenance of high performance in the field.