Vanessa Big Eagle, a band councilor overseeing the housing of the Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation, experienced severe weather damage to her own residence. Describing the winds in May as unusually intense, she mentioned that 23 out of the 54 homes in her community, situated 160 kilometers southeast of Regina, were impacted. Her own home suffered the most damage, with a significant portion of the roof blown off. Big Eagle has been working on filing insurance claims for these homes managed by the First Nation, with most homes still in need of repairs, leading one family to seek temporary accommodation in a hotel.
Recent data indicates a surge in insured losses due to severe weather in Saskatchewan, potentially resulting in increased insurance premiums. Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. reported that Saskatchewan recorded its highest dollar amount of insured losses from major weather events last year, reaching $450 million, the highest since data collection began in 2008. Notably, extreme winds in June caused the most insured loss in the province, totaling $240 million, followed by the impact of northern wildfires last summer.
Laura Twidle, the president and CEO of Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc., highlighted the exceptional nature of the past two years in terms of severe weather events and associated insured losses. She emphasized the significance of fires in contributing to the substantial insured losses, noting that last year marked the first time Saskatchewan experienced such significant losses.
Addressing the implications for insurance, Jason Thistlethwaite, a professor at the University of Waterloo’s School of Environment, Enterprise, and Development, warned that even individuals with undamaged property may face the repercussions through higher premiums and reduced coverage. He stressed the importance of shifting focus towards prevention of property damage rather than solely relying on post-disaster recovery efforts to manage climate risks effectively.
In Saskatchewan, businesses like Leeway Mechanical Inc., owned by Duane Lee and Allison Thompson, are witnessing a growing demand for repairs following extreme weather incidents. The company has observed a significant increase in workload, involving tasks such as water extraction from basements and roof repairs, with more frequent calls for assistance due to weather-related damages.
Similarly, restoration company Fire & Flood has experienced a surge in service requests, particularly at their Prince Albert location, attributed to severe weather events causing basement flooding. Chris Kaban, the operational manager, highlighted the increase in the company’s workforce from 85 to 150 employees over the past two to three years to meet the rising demand. He noted that the current weather patterns have been reminiscent of the severe storms witnessed in the early ’90s, impacting their operations significantly.
