Phillips taught high school for a short time. He was then hired by the Meteorological Branch of
Transport Canada in 1967 to conduct research on the
Great Lakes in
Toronto. The work involved using climatological data to answer questions about climatic records: farmers asking for frost-free seasons or temperature trends, urban planners assessing the location for an airport or about the climatology of the wind for tall-buildings and more general public queries. In the 1990s Phillips was filmed by the Weather Network, which created a series of 90-second trivia shorts about various weather topics entitled "Ask the Expert". For nearly a decade he wrote the Weather-wise column in
Canadian Geographic magazine. Each year he creates a calendar based on weather trivia. In September 2024, Phillips retired from Environment Canada after a 57-year career in the federal public service, but still continues to work under emeritus status. As of 2025, Phillips continues to make frequent appearances on national radio and television including
CP24, as a commentator on weather and climate matters. ==Awards==