As climate-related disasters intensify across Canada, Wawanesa Insurance is increasing its Community Wildfire Prevention Grant funding to $200,000, underscoring the growing role of insurers in addressing escalating catastrophe risks.
The insurer will award ten grants to support community-led wildfire prevention and mitigation projects across the country. Applications for the next round of Wawanesa’s Community Wildfire Prevention Grants are open until Dec. 9, 2025.
The initiative is part of Wawanesa’s Climate Champions program, a $2-million annual investment that supports organizations and individuals working to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Now in its fourth year, the wildfire prevention program was developed with FireSmart Canada and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR). It initially provided $150,000 in funding but has expanded in line with increasing wildfire threats.
According to Mitchell McEwen, Wawanesa’s director of Sustainability, Climate Resilience & Community Impact, the increase reflects the urgent need for greater support after one of the most destructive wildfire seasons in Canada’s history. McEwen said the company is committed to helping communities adapt and build resilience, noting that reducing climate-related losses requires collective effort between insurers, governments, and local organizations.
Since launching the Community Wildfire Prevention Grants in 2022, Wawanesa has distributed more than $450,000 to 35 communities nationwide. The funding has supported rural municipalities, Indigenous communities, property owner associations, and youth organizations in implementing fire mitigation measures and strengthening their capacity to manage risks in high-exposure areas.
The insurer’s efforts come as Canada’s property and casualty insurance market faces growing financial strain from climate-related catastrophes. Wildfire losses have increased sharply in recent years, prompting insurers to invest in prevention programs that reduce future claim costs and improve community resilience.
Hannah Swift, director of Prevention and Mitigation at the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center, which oversees FireSmart Canada, said the partnership between Wawanesa and FireSmart has enabled communities to take proactive measures to lower wildfire risk. Similarly, ICLR executive director Paul Kovacs said wildfire conditions are worsening more rapidly than expected and that insurer-led initiatives like Wawanesa’s play an important role in helping communities adapt and minimize future losses.
