Topic
Climate Change
What the industry learned from a 20-year-old wildfire
January 11, 2024 Jason ContantThe devastation of British Columbia’s Okanagan Mountain Park wildfire in 2003 was unlike anything Janna Smart had adjusted before. “It was full of raw emotion, chaos, destruction, and limited experience in handling a wildfire in a densely populated area. It…
What’s at risk if the national flood insurance program stalls
January 10, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoInsurers will need to be informed about their role in the national flood insurance program by Spring 2024 if it’s to be operational before the next federal election, an Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) executive tells Canadian Underwriter. The…
NatCats taking their toll on Canadian property lines
January 8, 2024 by David GambrillAnother year, another $3 billion in NatCat insurance claims payouts. Canada’s property and casualty insurance industry paid out more than $3.1 billion last year in claims related to natural catastrophes, based on the latest numbers from Catastrophe and Indices Quantification…
Wildfires in Alberta burned 10 times more area in 2023 than the five-year average
January 5, 2024 Colette Derworiz - THE CANADIAN PRESSAlberta Wildfire says it saw an average number of wildfires last year, but the area burned across the province set a record. The province saw a total of 1,088 wildfires that burned about 22,000 square kilometres from March 1 to…
Why your clients may be exposed to more climate change claims
January 4, 2024 by David GambrillYour business clients may face increased exposure to climate change liability claims, based on a recent decision by the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA). “With strong language, the Federal Court of Appeal affirmed the ‘existential challenge’ posed by climate change…
Canada to pilot options for national emergency response agency in 2024
December 15, 2023 Mia Rabson - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – A new national emergency response agency may consist of regional response teams that Ottawa can call into action when disaster strikes, Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a recent interview. It is clear some kind of federal…
How restoration firms are growing in Canada
December 14, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoWith natural disasters on the rise, restoration firms are responding to the growing need through expansions and acquisitions, according to recent announcements. Intact subsidiary On Side Restoration has acquired Superior Disaster Services Ltd., in a deal that closed Dec.…
Why you can expect more insurance regulation next year
December 11, 2023 by David GambrillAs the hard market proceeds apace in the Canadian P&C insurance industry, a projected economic slowdown in 2024 could invite more insurance regulation, since Canadians will find it harder to pay their insurance bills, a ratings agency warned. “While growing…
Climate change battering municipal finances across Canada
December 11, 2023 Thomas MacDonald - THE CANADIAN PRESSMONTREAL – The hamlet of Gore, Que., had the foresight to start preparing for more intense annual flooding due to climate change a decade ago. That’s when the rural township 60 kilometres northwest of Montreal began quadrupling the size of…
P.E.I. utility seeks rate hike for $37M in post tropical storm Fiona losses
November 29, 2023 Stephanie Taylor The Canadian PressCHARLOTTETOWN — The privately owned electricity utility in Prince Edward Island wants ratepayers to cover $37 million in costs incurred during post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022. Maritime Electric, a subsidiary of Fortis, has applied to the Island’s regulatory commission for…
How Canada’s wildfire season will shape reinsurance renewals
November 28, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoReinsurers have their ears to the ground on climate change losses, and Canada’s record wildfire season is adding to the heat, according to industry experts. But while reinsurers are keeping a close watch on wildfire risk, tallied wildfire losses…
Proactive climate adaptation can cut Ontario public infrastructure costs: watchdog
November 23, 2023 Jordan Omstead - THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – The dangers of a changing climate could add more than $4 billion per year to the cost of maintaining Ontario’s public infrastructure over the rest of the century, the province’s financial watchdog said Wednesday. But the report from…