There is a new program recently launched for homeowners in the city of Toronto – the Toronto Home Resilience Program. This pilot project is about educating participants in emergency preparedness and flood risk reduction. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), it costs an average of $43,000 to restore a flooded basement in Canada (source: ICCA).

What you need to know about the Toronto Home Resilience Program:

~ It is open to up to 200 homeowners in the city of Toronto (first come first serve) from July through to September 2018.

~ The program applies to detached and semi-detached houses as well as townhomes in the City of Toronto.

~ Residents who are accepted to participate will receive resources for emergency preparedness as well as a 50 point flood risk assessment which will let homeowners know which actions they need to prioritize to reduce their risk of a basement flood, delivered as a confidential report. Participants can also choose to have a follow up phone call will the assessor to discuss the report if they wish.

~ The home assessments are subsidized – participants pay a fee of $95 while the full value of the assessment is $450.

~ This program was developed at the University of Waterloo’s Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation and is delivered by AET Group (an environmental consulting firm based in Kitchener). The IBC also provided funding.

~ The assessment will take anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes.

If you are interested in participating in this program, click here to register and find out whether you live in the service area covered by the program.

Additional resources:

Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation: Home Flood Protection Program

The City of Toronto: Home Resilience Program

Canadian Underwriter: One tip you can offer clients to help prevent basement flooding

For more information on how to prevent a flood in your home’s basement, check out our blog post on the topic. If you’re looking for a quote on home insurance, click here or reach out to one of our insurance professionals.

Image source: FreeDigitalPhotos.net | Vichaya Kiatying-Angsulee