The 10 most expensive years for weather, natural disaster in Canada: insurance bureau

Last year ranks among the top five worst years on record in insured damage from extreme weather events, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) said, but it wasn’t the worst.

Noteworthy severe weather events last year include the Atlantic Canada cold snap; Ontario and Quebec spring ice storm; the Tantallon, N.S., wildfire; Nova Scotia flooding; Prairies summer storms; the Winnipeg hailstorm; Ontario severe summer storms; the Okanagan and Shuswap, B.C., area wildfires; and the Behchokǫ̀-Yellowknife and Hay River, N.W.T, wildfires.

The record number of wildfires ranked as Environment Canada’s top weather story for 2023.

These are the 10 most expensive years for natural disasters in Canada as measured by insurance payouts, adjusted for inflation in 2022.

1. 2016 — $5.96 billion

Notable event: Fort McMurray wildfire

0:50 Wildfire that ravaged Fort McMurray extinguished after 459 days

• Wildfire that ravaged Fort McMurray extinguished after 459 days
• Reviewing Fort McMurray evacuation, was it too late?
• Lessons from Fort McMurray employed in High Level wildfire
• Firefighters reflect 1 year after Fort McMurray wildfire: ‘individual actions saved the majority of this town’
• Rebuilding one year after Fort McMurray wildfire
• Fort McMurray residents prepare to mark 1 year since evacuation order
• Fort McMurray wildfire: 1 year later, some are critical of how the evacuation happened
• Mental health toll of Fort McMurray wildfire
• Fort McMurray Wildfire, extreme warmth among Canada’s top weather stories
• Looking back: covering the Fort McMurrary fire
• Global crew remembers live TV report covering the Fort McMurray wildfire

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2. 2013 — $3.87 billion

Notable events: Floods in Alberta, Greater Toronto Area; Toronto ice storm

3:06 Calgary more flood resilient than in 2013, but remains vulnerable on Bow River

• Calgary more flood resilient than in 2013, but remains vulnerable on Bow River
• Covering the 2013 Alberta Floods
• Naheed Nenshi talks about how he led Calgary through the 2013 floods as mayor
• The head of Calgary’s Emergency Management Agency during 2013 floods shares his memories

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3. 2022 — $3.4 billion

Notable events: Hurricane Fiona; wildfires

4:00 Hurricane Fiona devastates Atlantic Canada

• Hurricane Fiona devastates Atlantic Canada
• Feds announce $9 million for Hurricane Fiona relief efforts
• 911 calls needed during hurricanes, emergencies: Nova Scotia
• Storm Fiona leaves most of Nova Scotia in the dark, potentially for days

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4. 2023 — $3.13 billion

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Notable events: B.C. wildfires; Nova Scotia floods

21:32 Smoke, Fires and Floods: 2023 was the year of wild weather in Canada

• Smoke, Fires and Floods: 2023 was the year of wild weather in Canada
• What Canada can learn from the explosive 2023 wildfire season
• The Biggest News Makers of 2023
• Why Nova Scotia faces a long, hard wildfire recovery
• Calls for transparency in Nova Scotia wildfire probe amid ‘rumours and heresay’

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5. 1998 — $2.83 billion

Notable event: Eastern Canada ice storm

2:30 A look back at the 1998 Ice Storm on its silver anniversary

• A look back at the 1998 Ice Storm on its silver anniversary
• 1998 ice storm led to better preparation for disasters in Quebec
• Montrealers remember the ice storm of 1998, 25 years later
• Former president of Utilities Kingston speaks on ice storm of 1998
• Global Montreal 25th anniversary: the ice storm of 1998
• Memories of 1998 ice storm remain vivid on 20th anniversary
• Quebecers remember 1998 ice storm

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6. 2021 — $2.48 billion

Notable events: Calgary hailstorm; B.C. floods

2:05 Two years after atmospheric river floods

• Two years after atmospheric river floods
• Province and City of Merritt knew about dike issues years before 2021 flooding
• B.C. flooding anniversary: the cost of infrastructure reconstruction
• B.C. flooding anniversary: Fraser Valley farmers still waiting for help
• B.C. flooding anniversary: Abbotsford mayor on long term repairs and economic impact
• B.C. flooding anniversary: Blueberry farmer on agricultural impact and food security concerns
• Princeton, B.C. still struggling to recover from 2021 floods
• How much financial assistance has been paid to victims of the 2021 B.C. flooding?
• B.C. floods: The devastation and the road to recovery
• First look at Coquihalla repairs

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7. 2020 — $2.46 billion

Notable events: Fort McMurray flood; Calgary hailstorm

23:37 Fort McMurray: Adversity and Resilience

• Fort McMurray: Adversity and Resilience
• ‘Fort Mac Strong’ evolved: How a community has coped with five years of disasters
• Fort McMurray residents reflect back on fires, floods and more
• Fort McMurray businesses impact by flood
• 1,200+ structures damaged in Fort McMurray flooding
• Flood mitigation in the works amid 100-year Fort McMurray flood
• Fort McMurray residents deal with deadly flooding from ice jams

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8. 2018 — $2.4 billion

Notable events: Ottawa-area tornado; New Brunswick flash floods

6:11 The Ottawa tornado’s path of destruction

• The Ottawa tornado’s path of destruction
• Path of Ottawa-Gatineau tornadoes
• Environment Canada now confirms 6 tornadoes hit ON, QC
• Drone surveys damage from tornado that touched down in Dunrobin
• Homes left in pieces after tornado blows through Ottawa neighbourhood
• Drone video shows extent of damage in Ottawa neighbourhood following tornado
• Tornado touches down in Ottawa area

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9. 2011 — $1.97 billion

Notable events: Slave Lake, Alta., wildfire

2:06 Slave Lake fire: 5 years later

• Slave Lake fire: 5 years later
• Fort McMurray looks at lessons learned from 2011 Slave Lake wildfire
• Former Slave Lake resident offers insight on what Fort McMurray wildfire evacuees can expect in coming days
• Former Slave Lake mayor shares insights, experience on 2011 wildfire

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10. 2012 — $1.65 billion

Notable event: Calgary rainstorm