Insurance Bureau of Canada provides Jasper wildfire recovery update

Important progress made over past six months, rebuilding could accelerate this spring

EDMONTON, AB, Jan. 29, 2025 /CNW/ - The wildfire that damaged or destroyed a third of the community of Jasper on July 24, 2024, is the second costliest fire event in Canadian history, with insured damage now estimated to be $1.23 billion (an increase from initial estimates of $880 million), according to Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ).

Despite the immense size of the disaster, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) reports that six months after the wildfire, important progress has been made on recovery efforts in the community, including:

• Most (92.5%) of properties destroyed by the wildfire have now received an approved demolition permit from Parks Canada. These permits are required before contractors can begin to remove debris and prepare insured properties for reconstruction.
• Over 60 residential properties and most commercial sites in the town have now been completely cleared and are awaiting final testing and sign-off from Parks Canada. Following approval, owners of these properties can apply for reconstruction permits (also from Parks Canada) to begin rebuilding.
• Insurers expect to have nearly all debris removed for residential properties by May 1, so that rebuilding can begin. The timing of reconstruction efforts will depend on how quickly property owners apply for and receive approval of development or reconstruction permits from Parks Canada.

Several property owners have yet to apply for a demolition permit and are strongly encouraged to do so, in order to commence the recovery process. Insurers appreciate the efforts of Parks Canada to expand its capacity and expedite the permitting process.

Alberta's insurers have been on the ground in Jasper since the first day of the fire and are continuing to provide financial support to residents who lost their homes. Insurers – in partnership with the Canadian Red Cross – also coordinated and paid for the removal, de-gassing and proper disposal of about 2,300 fridges and freezers ruined by food spoilage due to prolonged power outages during several weeks of the evacuation. This coordinated residential bulk-debris-removal program is helping to reduce costs and speed up recovery in the community.

"There's still a lot of work to do and rebuilding will take time, but there is light at the end of a very long tunnel for Jasper residents who lost so much in the fire," said Aaron Sutherland, Vice-President, Pacific and Western, IBC. "The people of Jasper have shown tremendous resilience, and Alberta's insurers will continue to match that spirit and support their customers every step of the way. It's why they are here."

On January 25, IBC and Alberta insurers joined local officials at an in-person open house to provide updates for residents and address any insurance concerns. IBC remains committed to working with the Jasper Recovery Coordination Centre officials as the community recovers. Important recovery progress updates from local officials can be found at Municipality of Jasper's Wildfire Recovery Information webpage.

Last summer was the most expensive on record in Canada for catastrophic weather events, with 228,000 insurance claims and over $8 billion in insured damage. These events are placing pressure on insurance premiums in Alberta and across the country, and are important reminders of the need to increase investments in resilience and other measures to better protect communities.

As IBC revealed this month, insured damage caused by severe weather events in 2024 surpassed $8.5 billion for the first time in Canadian history. Canada's insurers have been calling on governments to invest in disaster resilience measures for over a decade. That means no longer building unprotected homes and businesses in high-risk wildfire and flood zones, investing in FireSmart initiatives for wildfire zones and enhancing Canada's flood defences in communities where flood risk is high. It's also about helping Canadian homeowners understand the risks they face and financing retrofits to help them reduce those risks, all while investing in improving emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

About Insurance Bureau of Canada

Established in 1964, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up the vast majority of Canada's highly competitive property and casualty (P&C) insurance market.

As the leading advocate for Canada's private P&C insurers, IBC collaborates with governments, regulators and stakeholders to support a competitive environment for the P&C insurance industry to continue to help protect Canadians from the risks of today and tomorrow.

IBC believes that Canadians value and deserve a responsive and resilient private P&C insurance industry that provides insurance solutions to both individuals and businesses.

For media releases, IN Focus articles, or to book an interview with an IBC representative, visit ibc.ca. Follow us on LinkedIn, X and Instagram, and like us on Facebook. If you have a question about home, auto or business insurance, contact IBC's Consumer Information Centre at 1-844-2ask-IBC. We're here to help.

SOURCE Insurance Bureau of Canada

Media Contact: Brett Weltman, Manager, Media Relations, IBC, [email protected]