Ottawa spends $75K polling Canadians on fireproof roofs and siding

CALGARY — The Department of Natural Resources spent nearly $75,000 polling Canadians on whether they would replace home siding and roofing with fire-resistant materials, even as federal regulators have stopped short of applying climate-related building code changes to existing homes.According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the department paid Forum Research of Toronto $74,784 for the study, which surveyed 3,004 householders across Canada on wildfire risks and home upgrades.“A roof constructed from Class A fire-rated materials and an exterior covered in fire-resistant siding are widely perceived as the two most effective wildfire risk reduction measures, but they are also commonly viewed as the most expensive,” said the department report.The Study On Canadians’ Beliefs, Attitudes, Knowledge And Behaviour Related To Wildfire Risk found most homeowners had no plans to install Class A fire-rated roofing, replace siding with fireproof materials, rebuild decks and porches using fire-resistant materials, remove highly flammable house plants or create a non-combustible zone extending at least 1.5 metres around their home..Federal housing report urges Ottawa to punish cities that fail to build enough homes .Respondents cited cost, low perceived wildfire risk and lack of interest as reasons for not making the changes.“I can’t afford the necessary materials,” “wildfire is not a risk in my area” and “I’m not interested,” were among the responses.The report said 61% of respondents told pollsters they did not know anyone who had taken action to reduce the risk of wildfire damage.“Research on public perceptions of wildfire risks in Canada remains limited,” said the report.“The purpose of this project is to dive deeply into the intricate layers of Canadians’ perceptions, awareness and knowledge around wildfire risks,” wrote researchers. “This survey is designed to enhance understanding of Canadians’ behaviour and attitude towards wildfire risk reduction.”All climate-related revisions to the National Building Code have so far applied only to new structures..CMHC says development charge cuts could boost housing starts 14% .The Canadian Home Builders Association told the Commons natural resources committee in a 2018 submission that climate-related code changes cost an average of $30,000 for a typical 2,100-square-foot single detached home.Insurers have argued Ottawa is moving too slowly.In a 2025 submission to a conference of the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society, the Insurance Bureau of Canada complained Building Code revisions on “climate resilience” had been deferred until 2030 at the earliest.“We need to address that gap on building codes,” said Craig Stewart, vice-president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada.Stewart said cabinet should have required sump pumps and crack-resistant foundations in flood-prone areas, wind-resistant hurricane straps for roofing joists, high-grade shingles in hail-prone areas and fire-resistant roofing tiles, along with replacing vinyl siding with brick or stucco in areas at risk of wildfires.“It is geographically specific,” said Stewart. “This is not rocket science.”

Ottawa spends $75K polling Canadians on fireproof roofs and siding

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