Municipalities across Canada are now able to apply for grants to help them mitigate the impact of both flooding and wildfire.
Intact Financial Corporation's 2024 Municipal Climate Resiliency Grants program helps municipalities, Indigenous communities, and registered charities fund projects that assess and address their exposure to extreme weather and its threats.
"In the aftermath of this summer's devastating extreme weather events, our teams continue to work around the clock supporting thousands of customers and homeowners across the country get back on track," explained the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy, Climate and People Officer with Intact Financial Corporation, Carla Smith in a media release on September 9th. "As the frequency and severity of extreme weather events continues to increase, there is an urgency for society to become more resilient to the impacts of a changing climate, which is why we are committed to helping even more municipalities and communities through our Municipal Climate Resiliency Grants program."
Intact Financial will be providing $2 million to this grant program over a two-year period.
This program will help communities with flood prevention projects like creating a municipal flood risk management strategy, implementing a nature-based solution for stormwater management such as a stormwater pond, and creating or restoring naturalized spaces and replacing surfaces like asphalt to allow water to soak into the ground better.
The wildfire-related projects this program supports for communities include creating fuel-reduced buffer zones and improving access to a dependable water supply, such as a portable wildfire pump.
Projects that make homes more wildfire and flood-resistant, such as installing sump pumps, window well covers, corrective grading, and fire-resistant siding and roofing are all covered under this program as well.
"Building climate resilience is central to Intact's strategy. For over a decade, we have been on the front lines of climate change, helping our communities recover from the devastating impacts of extreme weather while funding climate adaptation research and projects to help society prepare for and mitigate the impacts of flooding and wildfire events," said Smith in the release.
Since 2010, Intact has invested $25 million in over 100 projects.
Municipalities that have already received a grant previously, are eligible to reapply again this year.
Applications will be accepted until January 31, 2025.
More information about this grant, including how to apply, can be found here.