Calgary awarded ‘Resilience in Recovery’ for Roofing Rebate Program

Calgary has received the first-ever Resilience in Recovery award through The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) for the Resilient Rebate Roofing Program.

The program was launched in 2021 after the June 2020 hailstorm that caused $1.2 billion dollars in catastrophic damages to the northeast quadrant of the city.

We are honoured to receive the first Resilience in Recovery award from @ICLRCanada for our Resilient Roofing Rebate program. The program supported over 1600 Calgarians to upgrade their roof with impact-resistant materials. Hear from two rebate recipients: https://t.co/vhfWbMDq2A

— City of Calgary Planning (@yycplan) October 13, 2022

It was considered the fourth costliest natural disaster in Canadian history with many still reeling from its impact.

“The Resilient Roofing Rebate Program was born out of a time of great need within our city. Severe damage to our homes and buildings from the June 2020 hail storm changed our rebuilding strategy to help Calgarians switch to roofing materials that can withstand more extreme weather events,” says Mayor Jyoti Gondek.

According to a release, the city initiated a program to give Calgarians an incentive to install more resistant roofing materials and urged homeowners to replace their damaged roofs with certified Class 4 impact-resistant roofing products via a $3,000 rebate.

Class 4 materials are more streamlined and built to be more durable for example asphalt shingles, clay or concrete tile, metal, and recycled rubber. By the end of May 2022, nearly 1,600 rebates were given to homeowners who renovated their homes with the new impact-resistant materials, the release says.

The executive director of the ICLR, Paul Kovacs, says Calgary’s approach to climate change adaptation resulted in three outcomes including, raising public awareness of the risk of loss and proven protective actions, rebuilding damaged homes with enhanced protection, and advocating for advancements in construction practices and regulation.

Read More:

• Calgarians prepare for storm season hoping to avoid repeat of costly 2020 hail

• Calgary remembers 2013 floods, anxiety that came with it

• Calgary severe thunderstorm warning issued as storm season lingers

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Additionally, the city aims to adjust the policy on the roofing and installation of quality-grade asphalt shingles in relation to hailstorm damage that happens at the regional level.

Today, ICLR Board Chair Carol Jardine (@Wawanesa) awards Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek with the Institute's inaugural Resilience in Recovery Award for the City’s Resilient Roofing Rebate program. Now, more than 1,600 homes in the City have hail resilient roofs. pic.twitter.com/1mDcsg8h4d

— Glenn McGillivray (@ICLRCanada) October 13, 2022

The ICLR is a disaster research institute that advocates for the leadership of communities toward climate resilience and creates special programming that helps communities to better rebuild after a severe weather event.