1 in 5 Canadians have experienced extreme weather damage, or know someone who has: survey

More than one in five Canadians say either they, a family member or a close friend experienced property damage or loss due to extreme weather in the past year, according to a new survey.

A Nanos poll conducted for CTV News found Atlantic residents were significantly more likely to have experienced property damage or loss due to extreme weather, with seven in ten responding that either they (38 per cent) or a family member or close friend (33 per cent) had in the past 12 months.

This chart shows the rate at which Canadians have experienced property damage or loss due to extreme weather in the past 12 months, according to a recent survey by Nanos Research. (Nanos Research survey for CTV News)

Quebec had the lowest proportion of residents respond that they or a family member or close friend had experienced property damage, at 4.1 per cent, followed by British Columbia, Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Men and women were equally likely to say they had experienced damage – at 10.3 and 10.2 per cent respectively – though women were slightly more likely to say a family member or close friend had experienced it.

The data bears out climate scientists’ warnings that Atlantic Canada is especially vulnerable to damage caused by coastal storms that bring powerful wind gusts, heavy rain and storm surges. Climate change is worsening these risks.

This chart shows the rate at which people in Atlantic Canada have experienced property damage or loss due to extreme weather in the past 12 months, according to a recent survey by Nanos Research. (Nanos Research survey for CTV News)

When post-tropical storm Fiona pummelled Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick on Sept. 24, it caused between $300 and $700 million in insured losses. The storm ripped the roofs of houses, washed away roads and swept houses and people into the sea. Some communities – like Shediac, N.B.– say it could take until next spring to finish cleaning up after the storm.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

In some cases, preventative measures can help mitigate loss and damage due to extreme weather events such as Fiona. According to the Nanos survey, however, most Canadians don’t take these measures.

The survey found slightly more than three in four Canadians say they have done nothing to help protect their property from damage against extreme weather in the past 12 months.

Atlantic Canadians were more likely than most to have taken precautions such as adding or improving drainage and making improvements to their roofs. More than one in four said they had cleared or trimmed trees and cleared or secured outdoor items and furniture.

METHODOLOGY

Nanos Research is a public opinion research firm.

Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land and cell lines) hybrid telephone and online random survey of 1,037 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, between Sept. 30 and Oct. 3 , 2022 as part of an omnibus survey. Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey online. The sample included both land and cell lines across Canada. The results were statistically checked and weighted by age and gender using the latest Census information and the sample is geographically stratified to be representative of Canada.

Individuals randomly called using random digit dialling with a maximum of five call backs. The margin of error for this survey is 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. This study was commissioned by CTV News and the research was conducted by Nanos Research.