Canada’s commercial insurance market remained generally favourable through 2025, with renewal rates easing across most business lines and brokers reporting a stable placement environment, industry bodies say.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) and market analysts point to rising competition and increased capacity as the main drivers of the ongoing stability, and IBC has reinforced its advocacy and research programme to protect those conditions.
Marsh reported that commercial premiums have not risen for over two years, attributing the trend to increased competition from domestic and international insurers and additional underwriting capacity. Separately, WTW (Willis Towers Watson) said it expects the Canadian commercial property market to remain highly competitive in 2026 - particularly for properties not exposed to severe weather - and predicted broadly steady liability pricing.
In outlining some of the key market issues of 2025, IBC noted intensified engagement on commercial trucking issues, focusing on fraud, safety and driver training. The association provided testimony to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities in October 2025 and continued pushing cross‑jurisdictional policy solutions.
The federal government responded with commitments in the 2025 budget to address illegal misclassification of commercial truck drivers. Provincial actions followed: Alberta launched a new Class 1 Learning Pathway for entry‑level truck drivers, designed to improve training and road safety via an apprenticeship‑style approach, and introduced a mandatory requirement for trucking companies to provide truck driver experience records. Quebec announced it will implement mandatory entry‑level training pathways for commercial drivers starting 15 December 2025. IBC says it will continue engaging with governments as these initiatives roll out.
IBC said it will continue to work with stakeholders across the commercial sector and press governments on measures to support domestic trade, remove interprovincial barriers and address economic headwinds affecting Canadian businesses. The association intends to keep publishing market updates and research to inform both policy and underwriting choices as 2026 unfolds.
