Canadian homes aren’t prepared for catastrophes: University of Waterloo study

A coast-to-coast study finds Canadians aren’t keeping up with the need to protect their homes against catastrophic events made more common by climate change.

The study from the University of Waterloo points out that insurance claims from weather-driven problems like floods have more than quadrupled over the last decade _ even after taking rising real estate prices into account.

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The study from the university’s climate adaptation centre adds that the number of homes that are uninsurable for flood risk is also beginning to grow.

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It says there are a range of easy, inexpensive measures people can take to keep their homes dry.

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They can be as simple as ensuring rainspouts drain far enough away or installing a sump pump with a backup power supply.

The study found that less than 10 per cent of eligible homeowners take advantage of municipal flood-proofing grants.