Eleanor Olszewski (pictured above), minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience and minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada, has recently announced the creation of the Canadian Center for Recovery and Resilience.
The launch, held at the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction's (ICLR) Disaster Resilience Display Center in Toronto, was made alongside Paul Kovacs, ICLR's founder and executive director.
Canada's recent experience with climate-related disasters has underscored the challenges of long-term recovery. Experts noted that planning before disasters occur can help communities rebuild faster, restore local economies and reduce exposure to future risks.
The center is a partnership between Public Safety Canada and ICLR. Its goal is to provide communities with support for recovery planning through access to experts, training programs and practical tools. The approach emphasizes risk-informed planning, ensuring that recovery efforts not only rebuild what was lost but also integrate resilience measures to mitigate the impact of future disasters.
Insurance and risk management implications
For insurers, the new center reflects an effort to address growing losses linked to climate-related events. The insurance industry has been facing rising claims as severe weather events become more frequent, driving up both underwriting costs and risk exposure.
The financial gap between insured and uninsured losses has become a recurring challenge. For example, the Insurance Bureau of Canada reported that insured damages from Hurricane Fiona totalled around $800 million, while the overall economic losses were several times higher. Recent wildfire seasons across British Columbia and the Northwest Territories have revealed the same pattern, where only part of the financial burden is absorbed by private insurers, leaving governments, businesses, and households to manage the remainder.
This protection gap has led to increasing pressure on both insurers and public disaster relief programs. By encouraging recovery strategies that reduce long-term risks, the Canadian Center for Recovery and Resilience could help alleviate that strain. Strengthening infrastructure, adopting resilient building standards, and coordinating recovery at the community level may reduce the severity of future claims and improve the availability and affordability of coverage.
Government and ICLR perspectives
Minister Olszewski said the federal government is committed to supporting Canadians from immediate response through to long-term rebuilding, with the new centre intended to ensure that recovery efforts remain coordinated and focused on public safety.
Julie Dabrusin, minister of Environment and Climate Change, added that as climate disasters increase in both frequency and severity, the centre will play a role in protecting communities and stabilizing the economy.
Kovacs noted that the center aligns with ICLR’s ongoing work on both recovery and risk reduction. He said the facility will provide communities with practical resources, professional networks, and guidance to help them prepare recovery plans that are resilient and cost-effective.
The Canadian Centre for Recovery and Resilience is expected to serve as a central resource for municipalities across the country. Its mandate is to support faster and more effective recovery, reduce future risk, and ensure rebuilding efforts contribute to long-term sustainability.
