Insurance Bureau of Canada, the national industry association representing Canada’s private home, auto and business insurers, says insured damage for severe weather events across Canada reached $2.1 billion last year.
Insured Catastrophic Losses in Canada 2021 (CNW Group/Insurance Bureau of Canada)
Some of the costliest severe weather events of 2021 like the November flooding in British Columbia and summer hailstorms in Calgary are also the sixth highest in insured losses since 1983.
Insured Damage for Severe Weather Events in 2021
| January 12 | Western Canada storms | $134 million |
| March 26 | Eastern Canada storm | $50 million |
| June 30 | Lytton, BC wildfire | $102 million |
| July 2 | Calgary, AB hailstorm | $500 million |
| July 15 | Barrie, Ontario-and-area tornadoes | $100 million |
| July 22 | Prairie storms | $120 million |
| August 2 | White Rock Lake, BC wildfire | $77 million |
| September 7 & 22 | Southern Ontario storms | $105 million |
| September 11 | Hurricane Larry in Atlantic Canada | $25 million |
| November 13 | British Columbia floods | $515 million |
| December 11 | Eastern Canada windstorm | $152 million |
Canada’s Top 10 Highest Loss Years on Record (loss and adjusted expenses in 2020 dollars)
| Rank | Year | Total loss | Notable severe weather event |
| 1 | 2016 | 5.403 | Fort McMurray, Alberta, fire |
| 2 | 2013 | 3.511 | Alberta floods; Greater Toronto Area floods |
| 3 | 1998 | 2.562 | Quebec ice storm |
| 4 | 2020 | 2.297 | Fort McMurray, Alberta, flood; Calgary hailstorm |
| 5 | 2018 | 2.176 | Multiple events: Ontario and Quebec rainstorms and windstorms |
| 6 | 2021 | 2.011 | Calgary hailstorm; British Columbia floods |
| 7 | 2011 | 1.787 | Slave Lake, Alberta, fire and windstorm |
| 8 | 2012 | 1.495 | Calgary rainstorm |
| 9 | 2019 | 1.416 | Multiple events |
| 10 | 2005 | 1.335 | Ontario rainstorm |
Insured Catastrophic Losses in Canada (CNW Group/Insurance Bureau of Canada)
Craig Stewart also called on the federal government to prioritize climate defence and to allocate robust funding for the implementation of the National Adaptation Strategy, currently under development.
According to Munich Reinsurance Company, 2021’s global losses from natural disasters hit $355 billion.