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Long-range forecast

Pelmorex, the pioneering Canadian company behind The Weather Network and its French-language counterpart, MétéoMédia, has evolved into a leading provider of weather information and data solutions, expanding into markets worldwide – and maintaining national and global connections through Toronto Pearson.

Every day, The Weather Network helps millions of people plan their lives – and dress accordingly. After more than a quarter-century, Canada’s leading source of round-the clock weather updates ranks among the country’s most trusted brands. The business behind the forecasts, though, is less well known – even though Pelmorex Corp., headquartered in the Toronto suburb of Oakville, has been celebrated as one of Canada’s top employers and best-managed companies.

Founded in 1989 by Montreal-born entrepreneur Pierre L. Morrissette, Pelmorex began as a network of radio stations in northern Ontario. But with the 1993 acquisition of The Weather Network and MétéoMédia, the broadcaster soon became Canada’s go-to source for timely and accurate weather information. From the outset, Pelmorex was an innovator, developing technology that could generate forecasts for any point on the planet within a square kilometre. The Weather Network was quick to embrace the power of the Internet; its website, launched in 1995, is now one of Canada’s top 10 online destinations. The network was similarly ahead of the curve with its introduction of mobile web services in 2002; today its smartphone, tablet and TV apps are part of Canadians’ daily routine.

“Because Pearson is a world-class hub, we know we’ll get in and out quickly and efficiently.”

And now the latest... data

As Pelmorex has grown through these three phases – broadcast, web and mobile – its main source of revenue continues to be the fees paid by advertisers to reach millions of subscribers. But now the business model is evolving once again.

“The fourth phase is data,” explains Sam Sebastian, President and CEO since 2017 (when Pierre L. Morrissette became Executive Chairman). Pelmorex data scientists take weather information and correlate it with the sales data of consumer-facing companies, yielding insights that enable more effective, localized decision-making. Working with a quick-service restaurant chain, for example, the Pelmorex team shows how sales of key items rise or fall depending on weather conditions. Even better, they advise on how to adjust local advertising, promotions and inventory in response to detailed forecasts.

“We can provide a remarkable level of insight on when to lean in or lean back on products or services affected by weather,” says Sam, who joined Pelmorex after a dozen years with Google, most recently as managing director for Canada. “The scale and precision we bring to targeting these kinds of decisions helps us engage our advertising customers in new strategic conversations.”

Weather is everywhere

The other dimension of Pelmorex’s growth is geographical. The Weather Network initially established a presence in English-speaking markets like the U.S. and the U.K. Now, as a web and app-based information hub, it provides customized local forecasts wherever users happen to be. At the same time, Pelmorex has acquired or built uniquely branded platforms in several countries, including Eltiempo.es in Spain, Otempo.pt in Portugal and the Clima network in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and other parts of Latin America. And that global expansion continues, as the company explores potential partnerships from India to Australia to elsewhere in Europe.

“Like a lot of great Canadian companies, our goal is to export what we’ve created,” Sam says, “expanding our advertising and data businesses around the world. Whether we grow organically, by acquisition or through partnerships, our approach everywhere is to keep it local, making sure we have the team, the trusted brand and, obviously, the language and culture that fit each market we serve.”

The Pearson forecast: zero friction

Even in the accelerating digital economy that has fuelled Pelmorex’s growth, there’s still a need to bring people together. Within Canada, team members travel between Toronto, Montreal and sales offices across the West. “We’re flying back and forth constantly,” Sam says, “having face-to-face conversations to make sure we’re all aligned.” Similarly, leaders and teams regularly fly to and from both U.S. coasts, as well as Europe, Asia and Latin America. “It’s a business requirement as we continue building the connections and partnerships we need to expand internationally.”

A critical enabler of those connections is minutes from Pelmorex’s Oakville headquarters: Toronto Pearson. “When you travel for business, you just want to fly there, get the work done and come back to your family,” Sam says. “And because Pearson is a world-class hub, we know we’ll get in and out quickly and efficiently. We’re in the weather business, so we know things may slow down a bit when active weather hits. But aside from those few uncontrollable exceptions, the planes run on time. The ability to clear U.S. customs is a huge advantage. And the operating machinery of Pearson is almost unnoticeable – which is a huge compliment. It just becomes frictionless travel, which for any business person is all you really want.”

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