Emergency Preparedness Week is in full swing - running from May 5 to May 10 - and Canada is once again bracing for a severe weather season.
Floods, wildfires, hailstorms and windstorms are becoming more frequent and more destructive. New national research from First Onsite Property Restoration, combined with loss data from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ), suggests that while awareness of climate‑driven risk is high, readiness remains low.
CatIQ figures showed how sharply insured losses from severe weather have escalated over the past four decades. Insured catastrophe losses totaled about $2.9 billion between 1986 and 1995, $8.8 billion between 1996 and 2005, and $14.0 billion between 2006 and 2015. From 2016 to 2025, that number jumped to roughly $36.9 billion.
Those figures capture only insured losses. The full economic impact on governments, households and businesses is much higher when uninsured damage and indirect costs are taken into account.
Against that backdrop, First Onsite’s 2026 Weather and Property Survey found that just 28% of Canadians have an emergency kit prepared, and only 38% feel they are ready for a weather‑related emergency. Three‑quarters say they know where to find official alerts, but only 36% know evacuation routes in their area.
Jim Mandeville, senior vice president at First Onsite, said the basics still matter most.
“The steps taken before a catastrophic event can define the recovery. An emergency kit, a plan, knowing your route – these are not dramatic measures. They are what separates preparedness from panic,” he said.
The survey also showed that 67% of Canadians believe governments could do more on disaster preparedness, while just 44% feel confident in their local authorities’ response.
When asked what they would take if forced to evacuate quickly, respondents put pets at the top of the list (51%), followed closely by phones and laptops (50%), then cash or credit cards (47%), and important documents and medication (both 42%).
Emergency go‑bags, food and first‑aid supplies ranked much lower, pointing to a gap between instinctive priorities and what emergency managers and insurers typically recommend. The prominence of phones underlines how central connectivity has become in modern response, but devices are most effective when people have already identified key contacts and have a plan.
“Know your key contacts before a disaster strikes – local emergency services, your insurance provider or broker, your utility companies and a trusted restoration provider,” Mandeville said. “In the chaos of a weather‑related catastrophe, finding those numbers should be the last thing on your mind.”
On the public‑policy side, governments have been ramping up resilience‑focused investments. In recent years, provinces and municipalities have announced funding for wildfire detection and mitigation, upgrades to stormwater and flood‑protection infrastructure, and support for more climate‑resilient buildings.
The initiatives vary by region, but the goal is consistent: reduce risk, strengthen community resilience and improve preparedness for future disasters. Insurance Bureau of Canada has welcomed these moves and continues to press for resilience to remain a top priority, arguing that large‑scale infrastructure and land‑use decisions must complement household‑level action.
While government programs are critical, the role of individuals and businesses is just as important. Depending on location, some perils will be more likely than others, but a combination of peril‑specific and all‑hazards steps can significantly reduce damage and disruption.
For wildfires, that includes clearing debris and dead vegetation around properties, maintaining a non‑combustible zone immediately next to buildings and, where possible, using fire‑resistant roofing and siding. For floods, measures such as sump pumps, backflow valves, and well‑maintained gutters and drainage can make a substantial difference, as can moving valuables and critical equipment above ground level.
To limit hail and wind damage, insurers and risk engineers stress the importance of protecting vehicles, securing outdoor items that can become projectiles, inspecting and reinforcing roofs, windows and garage doors, and trimming weak or overhanging branches.
Across all perils, a few core actions are widely recommended: building or updating a 72‑hour emergency kit; creating or reviewing an emergency plan so everyone knows what to do and where to go; maintaining a current home inventory to support any future claim; and reviewing insurance coverage to ensure it reflects the risks in a given area.
If mitigation does not keep pace with hazards, pressure on pricing and deductibles is likely to increase, especially in high‑risk zones. Carriers may face tougher choices over where to deploy capacity, while regulators will continue to weigh affordability concerns against actuarial requirements.
At the same time, prevention and risk‑management services are becoming key differentiators for insurers and intermediaries looking to support clients before, during and after events.
