The atmospheric river event on October 18-20, 2024, wreaked havoc across British Columbia, resulting in over $110 million worth of insured damages, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Specifically, the storm significantly impacted areas within Metro Vancouver, including Coquitlam, Burnaby, Surrey, North Vancouver, and West Vancouver.
The storm was classified as Category 4 on the atmospheric river scale, lashing the region with intense rainfall and powerful winds. On October 19, Coquitlam was hit particularly hard, recording 254 mm of rain within just 24 hours. This amount of rain is astonishing—two and half times more than what was reported during the catastrophic flooding event of 2021.
Problems arose rapidly from the coinciding heavy rains, with rivers overflowing and sewer systems unable to handle the deluge, leading to widespread flooding. The Insurance Bureau reported overflowing rivers, sewer backups, and flooding of roads, parking garages, and residential basements. The scale of destruction led to the declaration of a local state of emergency for North Vancouver on October 20, which remained until November 7.
While some residents had access to flood insurance, it was found to be limited or even inaccessible for many others. About 10% of Canadian households currently cannot acquire flood insurance, and this has led insurers to call on the federal government to fully fund the proposed National Flood Insurance Program. This national program aims to provide financial assistance to high-risk households and reduce overall disaster recovery costs for governments. The program, intended to be proactive rather than reactive, has yet to receive full funding from the government, leaving many homeowners vulnerable.
Insurance analysts warn the true costs of the disaster could be even greater. Jason Clark, IBC's National Director of Climate Change Advocacy, noted, "While insurers will be paying out millions of dollars in claims for this event, we expect total losses to be far higher due to the number of uninsured properties, as well as damage to public infrastructure." The 2021 flooding event set the stage for the current problem by highlighting the limitations of existing insurance coverage options.
Indeed, severe weather-related insured losses have been increasing steadily over the past years. According to IBC, average annual losses due to severe weather are estimated to exceed $3 billion, with this year setting a new record of over $7.7 billion.
Individuals impacted by the flooding during this latest event include homeowners who are still coping with the aftermath. Concerns over recovery length and uncertainty about how reconstruction efforts will proceed weigh heavily on many affected families. Aaron Sutherland, Vice President of the IBC's Pacific region, expressed sympathy for those impacted by the storm, stating, "Our thoughts continue to be with the families and friends who lost loved ones as a result of this storm. Damaged property can be repaired or replaced, our insurers will be there every step of the way."
Despite these sentiments and efforts from insurers and emergency response teams, many individuals and families find themselves struggling without the necessary insurance coverage. Without professionalism and agreed-upon standards, the insurance industry might not be equipped to handle the growing frequency of such extreme weather events impacted by climate change. Everybody is on edge, knowing how unpredictable weather patterns have become.
The storm's violent winds and rains also pushed local infrastructure beyond what could be reasonably expected, causing damage to public utilities and facilities. Port Coquitlam officials reported significant infrastructural damage to culverts and drainage systems, forcing officials to reevaluate their preparedness measures for future storm events. The aftermath of such extreme weather invites scrutiny on whether or not municipalities can keep up with climate adaptation strategies already outlined by the Federal Government and national standards which call for increased readiness.
Looking toward the future, experts stress the need for collaboration among government entities and insurance companies to develop and implement sustainable solutions for minimizing damage from climate-related incidents. Clark emphasized, "Canada needs to reduce the number of families and communities being impacted by disasters and enable effective prevention and recovery methods."
The larger picture reflects the struggles many Canadian communities face as they contend with the aftereffects of climate-driven disasters. With citizens advocating for more action and dialogue surrounding climate vulnerabilities, government officials must step up and prioritize proactive strategies for land management, infrastructure rebuilding, and disaster recovery efforts.
Only then can communities potentially protect themselves against the ravages of storms like the atmospheric river they faced just last month. These kinds of storms are not just extraordinary occurrences anymore, and how people respond to them could define their resilience for years to come. Victims have much to gain from collective movements advocating for comprehensive flood insurance coverage, improvements to transformation networks, strategic plans for community engagement, and infrastructural adjustments.
This catastrophic atmospheric river event has cast light on urgent issues within the insurance framework of Canada, urging discussions about reform and cohesiveness across various sectors. Comprehensive flood insurance programs offer potential solutions, with stakeholders like the IBC pushing for swift government action. Without these changes, too many households may find themselves unprotected and vulnerable to the increasingly devastating impacts of climate change-induced weather events.
