Ten major weather events across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba caused more than $1.8 billion in insured damage this summer, with flooding responsible for much of the destruction, according to new estimates.The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), citing initial figures from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ), said floods, hail, tornadoes and damaging winds battered communities across the Prairies between May and August.Edmonton was particularly hard hit after record rainfall in June and July contributed to repeated flooding.“Once again, the Canadian Prairies have been hit hard by extreme weather, with floods, hailstorms and tornadoes causing extensive damage to homes and businesses,” said Aaron Sutherland, IBC vice-president for Pacific and Western Canada.“The growing frequency, severity, and financial cost of these events demands that we rethink how we can better protect communities moving forward and increase spending in resilience now.”The costliest event occurred June 9 and 10, when storms swept across Saskatchewan and Manitoba, causing more than $900 million in insured losses.Tornadoes, hail, high winds, torrential rain and flash flooding affected tens of thousands of residents and businesses in the two provinces.Central Alberta was hit by a series of costly floods beginning May 31. A prolonged storm dumped more than a month's worth of rain on Edmonton in several days, flooding basements, roads and public spaces and causing more than $80 million in insured damage.Another round of prolonged rainfall June 20 and 21 overwhelmed sewer systems in Edmonton and surrounding communities, resulting in more than $160 million in losses.A slow-moving storm then crossed Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba from June 26 to 30, causing another $160 million in damage. Canmore and Kananaskis County declared local states of emergency during the storm..Severe thunderstorms stretching from Alberta to Northern Ontario between July 4 and 6 caused more than $270 million in insured losses. Some areas reported hailstones the size of billiard balls, rainfall approaching 100 millimetres and powerful wind gusts.Edmonton was again among the hardest-hit communities July 10 and 11 when a severe weather system produced rain and hail while 10 tornadoes were reported across Alberta and Saskatchewan.IBC estimated damage from those storms at more than $140 million.Another outbreak July 18 caused more than $40 million in losses in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Two EF2 tornadoes were recorded near Rocky Mountain House and Leslieville, while additional rainfall triggered another round of flooding in Edmonton.Southern Alberta was hit Aug. 11 by thunderstorms producing heavy rain and large hail. Claresholm, Lethbridge, Didsbury and Coaldale were among the affected communities, with insured losses estimated at nearly $70 million.Large hail struck central Alberta again Aug. 23, causing nearly $40 million in damage. Springbrook, south of Red Deer, was particularly hard hit, with hail damaging siding, breaking windows and denting vehicles.The earliest event included in the report occurred May 14, when powerful winds generated a dust storm across southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba and caused more than $40 million in damage.IBC said the cost of severe weather claims has risen substantially in Canada.Inflation-adjusted insured losses from extreme weather have averaged $3.7 billion annually over the past decade, compared with $1.4 billion annually during the previous decade and $883 million during the decade before that.The organization said annual insured losses have increased about 320% since the late 1990s and early 2000s. Canada recorded more than $9.4 billion in insured losses from severe weather in 2024, the highest annual total on record.IBC is calling on governments to restrict development in areas with high flood and wildfire risks, strengthen building codes and spend more on resilient infrastructure and community-level flood and wildfire protection.The organization also wants governments to provide incentives for homeowners to take measures designed to reduce property damage from severe weather.
