Protecting Canadians Against Natural Disasters

Protecting Canadians Against Natural Disasters

Canada’s home, car and business insurers are committed to better preparing communities for natural disasters. As part of this commitment, the industry recently donated $500,000 to support groundbreaking research into making houses more resistant to extreme weather.

The research is being conducted by The Faculty of Engineering from the University of Western Ontario at a one-of-a-kind research facility called The Insurance Research Lab for Better Homes. It allows for the study of damage to houses from wind, snow, rain and mould by simulating extreme weather, including winds of up to 320 km/h – the equivalent of a Category Five hurricane.

The project permits researchers to assess the structural integrity of houses, and develop cost-effective ways to retrofit existing houses and build stronger ones in the future.

The insurance industry is a leader in natural disaster mitigation. In 1998, insurers partnered with Western to create the – a research institute committed to reducing the loss of life and property damage caused by severe weather and earthquakes.

Evidence suggests that the severity and frequency of extreme weather will continue to rise. A financially strong insurance industry will be there to help rebuild Canadian communities when disaster strikes. And, through initiatives like The Insurance Research Lab for Better Homes, it can help make Canadian communities stronger and better equipped to deal with extreme weather.

The Insurance Research Lab for Better Homes uses a typical 1,900 square foot, two-storey house. Studies will be conducted in a controlled environment inside a hangar. Extreme winds (up to 320 km/h) are simulated using specially-designed “pressure boxes” that apply both air pressure and suction to the house. Researchers will also study the effect of snow, rain and mould.