The Insurance Bureau of Canada and a few select Canadian cities have partnered on a made-in-Canada risk assessment tool to evaluate municipal sewer and storm water infrastructure.
Called MRAT (for municipal risk assessment tool) it will combine information on infrastructure, climate and insurance claims for Fredericton, N.B., Coquitlam, B.C. and Hamilton, Ont. to create maps that give city engineers a better picture of infrastructure vulnerabilities in 2010, 2020 and 2050.
“MRAT is a true solution that speaks to the Canadian way of solving problems - leadership through innovation,” said Don Forgeron, president and CEO of the IBC. “Insurers and municipalities have a key role to play in preparing their cities for a new era of severe weather and we are pleased to be partnering with these three forward-thinking cities in this pilot project”
Canada's weather has been changing, and Canadian communities now cope with more rain and snow, which can overwhelm already vulnerable infrastructure, and cause sewers to back up and basements to flood, said Forgeron, adding that the Canadian property and casualty insurance industry has also faced rapidly rising claims costs to repair flooded basements.
“Municipalities and insurers, working together, are leading the fight to adapt to the new weather extremes and prevent flooding," Forgeron said in a press conference, delivered at the Economic Club of Canada in Toronto, Ont., citing the $3 billion in insured losses suffered during the summer in southern Alberta and Toronto. (continued.)
#pb#
“The City of Hamilton is proud and excited to be at the forefront of the MRAT project," said Chris Murray, Hamilton city manager. "MRAT is, without question, an innovative enterprise, not only of technology, but also of collaboration between local government and the insurance sector. Hamilton's involvement represents a continuation of our commitment to sustainable infrastructure and providing the best possible living conditions for our citizens."
Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart expressed his pride in being a part of a new risk management and planning tool, along with Fredericton mayor Brad Woodside, who sees MRAT ensuring “we have the necessary facts to aid us in making the right choices when it comes to infrastructure renewal and investment.”
