Following this month’s hailstorm in Calgary, Ward 5 Coun. Raj Dhaliwal is mulling the possibility of reviving the city’s Resilient Roofing Program, but his peers aren’t as keen.
The rebate initiative was launched in 2021 in the aftermath of a destructive hailstorm during the previous year, with the goal of providing up to $3,000 to homeowners for upgrading their roofs to Class 4, hail-resistant materials.
However, the program quickly ran out of funds, leaving many applicants on a waitlist. A total of 1,073 households received support, while an additional $1 million was allocated to 308 more applicants. By 2022, 1,574 homeowners had applied but did not receive the rebate.
The program was discontinued when the city council chose not to extend it, despite a recommendation from the community development committee. The recommendation was proposed by Dhaliwal, who now suggests that the recent storm may renew interest in the program.
Dhaliwal emphasized the need for solutions to create more resilient housing, citing either amendments to building codes or the revival of the rebate program as potential options.
Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian, however, has expressed reservations about reinstating the program, stressing the importance of utilizing city resources effectively.
“While it’s tempting to bring back old programs in the wake of an event, we have to be very thoughtful about what actually has the biggest impact, as well as what the role of the city is on private property when private insurance exists,” she said.
Mian also urged affected residents to file their insurance claims promptly and to visit climatereadyhome.ca for tips on making homes more resilient.
Ward 2 Coun. Jennifer Wyness echoed the concerns, doubting there would be strong support among council members to revive a program that had its limitations.
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