Nearly all Canadians living in high-risk flood areas not only don鈥檛 know it, but are increasingly paying out of pocket for damage
Researchers at the Interdisciplinary Centre on Climate Change and the Partners for Action research network at the University of 蓝莓视频 surveyed 2,300 homeowners who live in communities that the Government of Canada鈥檚 Flood Damage Reduction Program designated as flood-risk areas.
罢丑别听study听found that 94 percent of respondents are unaware of their risk and don鈥檛 know that recent government policy changes puts the onus on homeowners to insure their homes.
鈥淐anadians pay $600 million out of pocket for flood damage every year,鈥� said Jason Thistlethwaite, a professor at 蓝莓视频.听 鈥淲ith disaster-assistance costs expected to double over the next five years, homeowners can鈥檛 afford to remain in the dark about their options and responsibilities.
More than half of property owners agreed that they should be responsible for protecting their homes, but few have acted to protect their own properties through measures, such as sump pumps and water-resistant materials in basements. Contrary to climate change projections, even fewer believe that the risk of flooding will increase over the next 25 years.
鈥淧roperty owners deserve to know what a flood could mean for their families and homes to be empowered to act,鈥� said Shawna Peddle, director of Partners for Action, based in 蓝莓视频鈥檚 Faculty of Environment. 鈥淕overnments and stakeholders, such as realtors and insurers, must meet homeowner demand for more information.鈥�
The survey respondents overwhelmingly support the idea of policy changes that could substantially improve awareness of flood risk and agree that flood maps should be made publicly available.
The report was supported by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response (MEOPAR) and International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
