Wawanesa Insurance has donated $75,000 to Thompson Rivers University (TRU) to support wildfire-related research, marking the first time an insurer has contributed to such studies at the institution.
The funding will back a research project focusing on community resilience, which is part of TRU’s broader wildfire initiative known as TRU Wildfire. The initiative aims to address the challenges of wildfires through research, education, and innovation.
The research project will be led by Dr. Will Garrett-Petts and Dr. Cheryl Gladu from TRU’s Community and Cultural Mapping Research Group. It will examine how communities engage with FireSmart programs, which educate the public on preventative measures to reduce the risk of wildfire damage to homes. The focus will be on understanding the barriers to adopting these programs, especially in smaller communities.
“As a mutual insurance company, we see the increasing impact of wildfires across Canada,” said Kimberly Palatnick, Senior Vice-President and Chief Personal Lines Officer at Wawanesa Insurance. “By supporting this research, we aim to contribute to solutions that help communities build resilience against wildfire risks.”
The research will explore factors such as perceived risk, past experiences with wildfires, demographics, and the proximity of communities to urban-wildland interface areas. The project will involve collaboration with municipal staff, TRU faculty, community organizations, and students.
TRU is home to the Institute for Wildfire Science, Adaptation and Resiliency, and is the only Canadian university with two research chairs dedicated solely to wildfire science. The university also recently introduced new certificates and diplomas in wildfire science and communications, with courses set to begin in September 2025.
The Wawanesa Insurance Wildfire Community Resilience Research grant is part of the company’s broader commitment to climate resilience through the Wawanesa Climate Champions program. This initiative contributes $2 million annually to support projects aimed at enhancing community resilience to climate-related risks.
In April, Wawanesa said it is awarding more than $150,000 in community wildfire prevention grants to 12 grassroots organizations across Canada. The company said this year’s grants will support a range of mitigation measures, including a mobile wildfire fuel clean-up unit, installation of campfire spark screens and vegetation management.
