Report identifies priorities for protecting Canadians against overland flooding

Canada is lagging behind on the issue of overland flooding, necessitating that measures be taken to ensure greater resiliency and to guard against associated losses, suggests a new report issued Monday.

Partners for Action: Priorities for Advancing Flood Resiliency in Canada – which reflects input received from a wide range of stakeholders representing all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, conservation authorities and several industries, including banking, real estate developers and builders, insurance and reinsurance – identifies key focus areas for better protecting Canadians and their property against flood, notes a statement from The Co-operators Group Limited.

Commissioned by The Co-operators, the research was undertaken by Dr. Blair Feltmate and Dr. Jason Thistlethwaite of the University of Waterloo.

“Canada is well behind other nations when it comes to managing the risk associated with overland flooding,” says Rob Wesseling, executive vice president at The Co-operators.

Citing the complexity of the issue, one that requires a multi-faceted response, Wesseling adds, “Together, we’ve made very good progress on identifying the issues and mapping out a way forward to better protect Canadians and their property from the ever-increasing risks of extreme weather.”

Stakeholders identified the following three priority areas where action could most effectively reduce the risk of flood damage:

• flood plain mapping: develop new flood plain maps with projections that anticipate changes in the intensity and duration of future precipitation;
• preparedness of cities: assess the preparedness of major cities for extreme weather and flooding; and
• built infrastructure: factor extreme weather and flood potential into new infrastructure designs and retrofits.

The report states that there was near unanimous consensus that extreme weather represents a serious problem for Canadian cities. “This finding confirms that concern about the impacts of extreme weather now and in the future is shared between the insurance industry and external stakeholders. Such concern represents an important opportunity for the insurance industry to establish a co-ordination and leadership role in facilitating actions that reduce risk and improve resiliency within Canadian cities.”

With regard to flood mapping, the report notes “research on Canada’s flood maps suggests a fundamental lack of co-ordination between governments and private agencies responsible for flood map data.”

The division in authority and capacity – the federal government has the most capacity to co-ordinate the standards required to harmonize and update maps, while the provinces are ultimately responsible for flood plan management – “suggests a need for more discussion on the steps necessary to update Canada’s flood maps.”

On the positive side, the report points out the use of natural infrastructure to prevent flooding is growing in popularity across many Canadian cities.

However, there is still concern related to the costs-benefits, standards necessary to ensure efficiencies, and fiscal constraints of municipalities. “Co-ordination to facilitate these objectives represents an important precursor to expansion of natural infrastructure as a best practice,” the report states.

With regard to consideration of a home adaptation assessment program, the report notes insurance companies are supportive of such a program as a model for a more intensive approach to reaching property owners.

“More reflection is, therefore, required on the question of the most viable approach to engaging homeowners, and the appropriate tools required to improved flood resiliency,” the report states. “Consensus was, however, clear that the federal government and insurers should have a role in implementing a more intensive awareness and education campaign.”

Phase I of the research engaged senior executives in the property and casualty insurance industry who explored the risks and opportunities related to insuring homes against overland flood damage; Phase II engaged a broader group of stakeholders who identified the aforementioned three priority areas; and the upcoming Phase III will focus on preparedness of cities.

The statement notes that insuring homes against overland flood damage is not currently available in Canada, and preparedness of cities is not currently being materially pursued by any level of government or organization within Canada.

“Canada must operationalize adaptation measures,” consistent with the three priority areas, “to limit the potential for flood damage to the residential property market,” the report argues. Phase III research is expected to “be used to better inform and equip Canadian consumers and non-governmental decision-makers to make practical, meaningful and cost-effective choices to facilitate flood resiliency,” it adds.