Make scientific advice pertinent at the city-level to benefit citizens
Rémi Quirion, Quebec’s Chief Scientific Adviser, is advocating for more widespread scientific advice at the municipal level to better serve citizens during emergency situations such as pandemics and climate change-related disasters. He proposes creating scientist-in-residence positions and training programs for scientific advice in municipalities. With proximity being essential, having scientific advisers at the municipal level will help citizens better understand the steps they can take to mitigate environmental issues. Quirion’s work in creating a North American chapter of the International Network of Science Advisors to Governments (INGSA) is a significant step towards increasing the delivery of scientific advice to cities. Overall, Quirion’s approach is an innovative solution to better serve citizens during times of crisis.