The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) – together with the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo (Intact Centre), and the City of Toronto – has issued a release calling for Toronto homeowners to participate in the launch of the city’s home resilience program.
The Toronto Home Resilience Pilot Program, which officially launches on July 11, 2018, will provide emergency preparedness and flood risk reduction education to up to 200 homeowners. Participating homeowners will also receive a customized, confidential Home Flood Protection Assessment with expert suggestions on how they can mitigate their basement flooding risk.
“Urban flooding has emerged as a key concern for many Torontonians and Canadians alike,” the IBC said in a statement. “By participating in this program, homeowners can better assess their flooding risk and make educated decisions to help prevent damage to their homes and property. Lessons learned in Toronto will inform a nationwide flood risk reduction program that will provide Canadians with the practical resources they need to reduce their risk of basement flooding.”
According to a release, the program is open to owners of fully detached homes, semi-detached homes and townhomes in the city of Toronto for a subsidized fee of $95 (full value of the program is $450). It will be open until September 2018.
“The program is so informative and revealed many issues that did not come up during our standard home inspection,” shared Lindsay Bunce, a participant in the program. “It has provided us with a roadmap to follow as we prioritize upgrades and repairs for our home. We now have peace of mind knowing that when the identified items are addressed, we are doing everything we can to protect our home from flooding.”
