Record rainfall, flooding and severe weather drove extensive damage and insurance claims across the Prairies
Ten extreme weather events in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba this summer have caused over $1.8 billion in insured damage, according to initial estimates from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ).
“Once again, the Canadian Prairies have been hit hard by extreme weather, with floods, hailstorms and tornadoes causing extensive damage to homes and businesses,” said Aaron Sutherland, Vice-President, Pacific and Western, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). “The growing frequency, severity, and financial cost of these events demands that we rethink how we can better protect communities moving forward and increase investment in resilience now.”
How much damage occurred in the Prairies this year?
While wind, hailstorms and wildfires are typically the costliest extreme weather risks in the Prairies over the summer months, this year saw heavy rain and flooding causing the majority of damage across the three provinces. Edmonton, Alberta, was hit especially hard, as the city saw record rainfall in June and July.
1. May 14, 2026: Over $40 million in insured losses across Saskatchewan and Manitoba (Wind)
Strong wind gusts created a dust storm across southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba with wind causing extensive damage to homes and businesses.
2. May 31–June 2, 2026: Over $80 million in insured losses in the Edmonton area (Flood)
A prolonged rainfall event over central Alberta resulted in significant flooding in the region. Edmonton was hardest hit, receiving more than a month’s worth of rainfall in just a few days that flooded basements, roads and public spaces.
3. June 9 & 10: Over $900 million in insured losses in Saskatchewan and Manitoba (Flood, Hail, Wind)
These storms brought tornadoes, hail, damaging winds, torrential rain and flash flooding to communities across both provinces, affecting tens of thousands of residents and businesses.
4. June 20–21, 2026: Over $160 million in insured losses in central Alberta (Flood)
Prolonged rainfall caused extensive flooding in Edmonton and the surrounding area. Sewer systems overwhelmed, causing basement flooding and flooded streets.
5. June 26–30, 2026: Over $160 million in insured losses in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba (Flood)
A slow-moving storm moved across the Prairies caused extensive flooding with Canmore and Kananaskis County, Alberta declaring local states of emergency.
6. July 4–6, 2026: Over $270 million in insured losses in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northern Ontario (Flood, Hail, Wind)
Strong thunderstorms affected a wide region from Alberta to Ontario. Hailstones the size of billiard balls were reported in some areas, as well as 100 millimetres of rain and strong wind gusts.
7. July 10–11, 2026: Over $140 million in insured losses in Alberta and Saskatchewan (Flood, Hail, Wind)
Edmonton again took the brunt of a two-day severe weather outbreak that produced rain, hail and ten tornadoes across Alberta and Saskatchewan.
8. July 18, 2026: Over $40 million in insured losses in Alberta and Saskatchewan (Flood, Wind)
Strong storms developed along the central foothills of Alberta, with two EF2-rated tornadoes – one to the south of Rocky Mountain House and one to the east toward Leslieville. The same storm brought additional rains to Edmonton, sparking another round of flooding in the city.
9. August 11, 2026: Nearly $70 million in insured losses in Alberta (Flood, Hail)
Severe thunderstorms produced significant amounts of rainfall and very large hailstones over southern Alberta, affecting the communities of Claresholm, Lethbridge, Didsbury and Coaldale.
10. August 23, 2026: Nearly $40 million in insured losses in Alberta (Hail)
Large hailstones hit communities in central Alberta. Springbrook, south of Red Deer, was particularly hard-hit, where the hail shredded siding, smashed windows and dented vehicles.
The rising costs of extreme weather
Over the last decade, insured losses from extreme weather in Canada have averaged $3.7 billion annually, up from annual losses of $1.4 billion in the previous decade and $883 million in the decade before that. Annual losses have increased by approximately 320% since the late 1990s and early 2000s, after accounting for inflation. In 2024, Canada experienced its costliest year on record, with insured losses from extreme weather exceeding $9.4 billion. Households, businesses, governments and communities across the country are increasingly affected by these escalating costs.
Protecting Canadians from severe weather risks
IBC is reiterating its call for all orders of government to take immediate steps to reduce Canada’s exposure to extreme weather events, including:
Building new homes away from high-risk flood and wildfire zones by strengthening land use planning and restricting development in areas at highest risk
Providing incentives for homeowners to invest in practical, affordable measures that reduce extreme weather damage and recovery costs
Requiring cost-effective, community-level mitigation measures, such as flood protection infrastructure and measures recommended by the FireSmart program to help reduce the risk of wildfire damage, when building in high-risk areas is unavoidable
Investing in resilient infrastructure to protect communities from extreme weather risks, such as flooding
Strengthening building codes and construction standards to ensure new homes are built with resilient features that reflect current and future climate conditions
Empowering homeowners, renters and business owners by providing clear, accessible information so they can make informed decisions and take practical steps to mitigate their risks.
The amount of insured damage and event descriptions are provided by CatIQ (www.catiq.com) under licence to IBC.
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