Topic Environmental
B.C. orchards and vineyards to get $70M to replant after disastrous weather
March 14, 2024 by The Canadian PressBRITISH COLUMBIA — Farmers in British Columbia will get an extra $70 million to replant and strengthen fruit orchards and vineyards after two years of weather-related disasters, says Premier David Eby. The commitment comes after a devastating cold snap in…
Night once brought firefighting reprieve, but no longer, Canadian study shows
March 13, 2024 by Brenna Owen - The Canadian PressBRITISH COLUMBIA — The darkness of night has traditionally signalled reprieve for wildland firefighters, but a new Canadian study shows that’s changing, and drought is the driving force. The availability of bone-dry fuels is the key mechanism promoting extreme fire…
Federal disaster aid for Fraser Valley floods, landslides taking too long: B.C. MP
March 12, 2024 by Mia Rabson - The Canadian PressThe federal government estimates it will need to pay almost $3.4 billion for its share of the disaster recovery bills for flooding and landslides that devastated British Columbia’s Fraser Valley in November 2021. But more than two years after that…
‘Clean slate’ to reshape B.C. wine industry, after climate-related catastrophes
March 11, 2024 by Brenna Owen - The Canadian PressThe heart of British Columbia’s wine industry is reeling after suffering a litany of climate-related hits, resulting in two years of crop losses in the southern Interior. Record-breaking heat. Wildfires and smoke that repeatedly contaminated grapes. A destructive cold snap…
How clients can be motivated on climate action
March 5, 2024 by Jason ContantMeasures to help mitigate climate change are a known commodity, it’s just a matter of motivating the public, government and regulators to take action, speakers suggested Monday at an industry event. Climate change is irreversible, but its rate can be…
Inaccurate data on forest fuels may stoke B.C. wildfires, study finds
March 4, 2024 by Brenna Owen - The Canadian PressWildfire fighting and forest management decisions are potentially being hampered by inaccurate government data that misrepresents forest fuel loads in British Columbia’s Interior, a new study has found. The B.C. government says the provincial wildfire service is working with the…
High winds, icy conditions leave many without power in Ontario and Quebec
February 29, 2024 by The Canadian PressExtreme weather conditions were expected to continue across Canada on Thursday after a sharp cold front with high winds hit vast areas of Quebec and Ontario, knocking out power lines and leaving tens of thousands of people in the dark…
New N.S. coastal protection plan shifts responsibility to homeowners, municipalities
February 27, 2024 by Keith Doucette – The Canadian PressHALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s new plan to protect the province’s 13,000 kilometres of coastline is an abdication of the government’s responsibility, the opposition and environmental activists said Monday. The strong criticism came swiftly after Environment Minister Tim Halman announced the…
As planet warms, ferocious snowfalls like the one that hit Nova Scotia could increase
February 26, 2024 by Hina Alam, The Canadian PressATLANTIC CANADA – Forecasters say a warming global climate could actually cause some parts of Canada to see colder conditions, including heavy snowfalls like the one that hit parts of the Maritimes this week. There’s a direct relationship between the…
Warm and dry weather prompts Alberta to declare an early start to wildfire season
February 21, 2024 by The Canadian PressEDMONTON – The Alberta government has declared an early start to the 2024 wildfire season in the face of low snowpacks and forecasts of dry weather to come. Alberta Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen said Tuesday the season is…
How insurers can help manage flood risk in Indigenous communities
February 20, 2024 by Jason ContantInsurers need to play a greater role in helping to manage high-risk flood areas in Indigenous communities, a tribal chief said during the CatIQ Connect conference earlier this month. “At some point, you as insurers are going to have to…
What brokers need to discuss with hospitality clients
February 16, 2024 by Philip PoradoHospitality providers are gradually emerging from a pandemic-era slump that nearly scuppered the industry in 2020 and 2021. The new normal, though, means restaurateurs, venue owners and other businesses likely need to review their insurance coverages and consider some very specific…