Many Canadians said they have worries about climate change and various natural disasters, according to a poll conducted the Angus Reid Institute on behalf of First Onsite Property Restoration (FOPR). “We conduct this survey every year to get a benchmark of Canadian attitudes, weather worries and concerns that business and homeowners have for their properties,” said FOPR Senior Vice President Jim Mandeville in a Tuesday press release.“People are aware that storms aren’t acting like they used to and we are seeing an increase in all types of property damage from weather events.” FOPR found 73% of respondents are worried about climate change and its effects on extreme weather and natural disasters. It acknowledged this concern was highest in Quebec (79%), British Columbia (77%) and Ontario (75%) and lowest in Atlantic Canada (67%), Manitoba and Saskatchewan (66%), and Alberta (60%). Regional wildfire concerns were highest in BC (82%) and Alberta (76%). BC (85%) and Alberta (75%) led the way in wildfire smoke fears. These were followed by Quebec, Manitoba and Saskatchewan (66%), Ontario (60%) and Atlantic Canada (50%) expressing concerns over wildfire smoke. Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan warned this year’s wildfire season will be worse than last one. The National Forestry Database found Canadian fires burned 185,000 square kilometres in 2023 — more than double the previous record of 75,596 square kilometres in 1989. FOPR went on to say six-tenths of Canadians expressed fears of severe rain and flooding, saying Quebec (67%) and BC (66%) led the way. BC has a history of severe flooding events, including the Pacific Northwest Floods in 2021, and Quebec had a record wet July. Flooding concern was next highest in Ontario (60%) and Atlantic Canada (59%) and lowest in Manitoba and Saskatchewan (47%) and Alberta (43%). It asked people what they felt were the top threats to their property during natural disasters or severe weather events. Six-tenths responded by saying they are concerned about the risk of mould after flooding. Meanwhile, 79% were worried about personal or family safety during natural disasters. People were anxious about the cost of major renovations (72%), their level of preparedness (64%), and whether or not their insurance was at the right level (60%). Mandeville concluded by saying the increased occurrence and intensity of catastrophic weather events “is a constant driver for homeowners, businesses and communities to be more resilient and better prepared for potential threats.”“With the right planning and resources in place, businesses and residents can be better prepared to respond to property emergencies,” he said. A Canadian government study published on February 25 showed Canadians have mixed feelings about climate change, but the predominant response is confusion. READ MORE: Fed study shows Canadians confused, skeptical about climate changeThe study was conducted by the Privy Council and found 20% of Canadians are uninterested in climate change. Researchers noted people’s position on climate change does not appear to be correlated with religion or other demographics. The poll was conducted online among a representative randomized sample of 1,506 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum from February 22 to 24. It has a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
