Federal and Provincial Ministers Review 2026 Wildfire and Flood Risk as Emergency Preparedness Week Starts May 3

Federal, provincial, and territorial ministers responsible for emergency management met virtually on April 27, 2026 to review a combined wildfire and flood risk assessment for the coming season. The meeting was co-chaired by federal Minister of Emergency Management and Community Resilience Eleanor Olszewski and New Brunswick Minister of Public Safety Robert Gauvin.

The timing is not incidental. Spring flooding is already underway in multiple provinces, and wildfire season is approaching. The ministers' assessment provides the national risk picture that shapes resource-sharing commitments, mutual aid agreements, and the public-facing messaging that begins this weekend with Emergency Preparedness Week.

The assessment's wildfire finding is one line that carries significant weight: risk in 2026 is expected to be unevenly distributed across Canada, influenced by changing heat and moisture conditions similar to those seen in 2025.

That comparison matters. The 2025 wildfire season was the second worst on record. Over 6,100 fires burned 8.92 million hectares — more than twice the 10-year average. About 76,000 people were evacuated, and two civilian deaths were reported. When ministers say 2026 conditions resemble 2025, they are not predicting a repeat. They are saying the ingredients are similar, and regional outcomes will depend on how weather patterns develop through the summer.

To manage this uneven risk, ministers committed to continued resource-sharing and mutual aid — deploying firefighting assets to regions that need them most, building on the intergovernmental coordination models tested during recent severe seasons. Natural Resources Canada produces updated seasonal wildfire forecast maps monthly from April through September, using fire weather indices, drought conditions, and precipitation forecasts. These are not static predictions. They are rolling assessments that sharpen as conditions evolve.

For homeowners in fire-prone areas, this is the signal to act before conditions escalate. Clearing defensible space, reviewing insurance coverage, and confirming evacuation routes are all steps that belong in the next two weeks, not mid-July. Homeowner.ca's wildfire season checklist covers the full scope.

The flood side of the assessment carries a different shape. Nationally, conditions are described as roughly average. But locally, the picture diverges sharply.

The assessment identifies elevated flood risk in northern and eastern British Columbia, the northern and central Prairies including Manitoba, southern and central Yukon, Ontario, and western and central Quebec. Variable temperatures and above-normal precipitation are the drivers. For homeowners in those regions, "average nationally" is not a useful benchmark. What matters is the local outlook — and in several of these areas, flooding is already active.

The financial stakes are substantial. Flooding is Canada's most common and costly natural disaster, causing roughly $1.5 billion in damage annually. Of that, about $700 million is typically insured and $800 million is not. Residential property owners shoulder approximately 75% of uninsured flood losses. A Public Safety Canada analysis estimates that roughly 94% of Canadians living in high-risk flood areas are unaware of their exposure.

That awareness gap is not abstract. A recent Léger survey commissioned by Intact Insurance found that 62% of Canadians are not concerned about flooding affecting their home — even though about 80% of major Canadian cities are built on or adjacent to floodplains. If you live in one of the elevated-risk regions identified in this week's assessment, this is the week to check your sump pump, review your insurance policy, and confirm whether you have overland flood coverage.

The ministers' meeting was timed to lead into Emergency Preparedness Week, which runs May 3 to 9 under the theme "Be Prepared. Know Your Risks." The national campaign is built around three actions every household should take:

Know the risks in your region. Not all hazards affect all areas equally. Wildfire, flooding, severe storms, and earthquakes each have distinct geographic distributions across Canada. Your provincial or territorial emergency management organization publishes region-specific guidance — find it and read it this week.

Make an emergency plan. Every household member should know what to do, where to go, and how to communicate if an evacuation or shelter-in-place order is issued. This includes agreeing on a meeting point, listing emergency contacts, and identifying the needs of children, elderly family members, and pets.

Build or refresh a 72-hour emergency kit. The federal standard is self-sufficiency for at least 72 hours — enough time for emergency services to reach your area in a widespread event. Water, non-perishable food, medications, copies of key documents, flashlights, batteries, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, and cash in small bills are the essentials. For flood-specific preparation, Homeowner.ca's spring flood prep checklist covers the full scope from sump pumps to insurance review.

Beyond the seasonal risk assessment, ministers agreed to pursue renewal of the National Public Alerting System. Most Canadians know this system as Alert Ready — the platform that delivers emergency warnings through television, radio, and compatible wireless devices.

Alert Ready is designed to send only alerts for events deemed an immediate threat to life. That includes tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm warnings meeting specific thresholds (wind gusts of 130 km/h or greater, hail of 7 cm or larger), wildfire evacuation orders, and other imminent hazards. The system is operated through a partnership between federal, provincial, and territorial emergency officials, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Pelmorex, broadcasters, and wireless carriers.

The renewal will incorporate recommendations from the Nova Scotia Mass Casualty Commission, which called for a public alerting framework that is consistent and effective across jurisdictions. For homeowners, the practical implication is straightforward: the system that sends your phone that loud, alarming tone during emergencies is being updated to work more reliably and consistently across provinces. If you have received test alerts in the past and dismissed them, treat them as confirmation that the system works on your device. If you have not received test alerts, check that your phone's emergency alert settings are enabled.

The April 27 meeting is a checkpoint, not a conclusion. Ministers committed to meeting again in person in November 2026, including a dedicated session with leaders of National Indigenous Organizations. Between now and then, the seasonal risk picture will evolve.

Three channels will carry the most relevant updates for homeowners. Natural Resources Canada's Canadian Wildland Fire Information System provides real-time fire conditions and monthly forecast updates through September. Provincial and territorial emergency management organizations publish local flood advisories and wildfire danger ratings — these are the most granular sources available. And the renewed Emergency Management Strategy for Canada, which ministers are updating with a focus on preparedness, response, risk reduction, and recovery, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.

For Canadian homeowners, the message from this week's ministerial assessment is clear even if the risk distribution is not. Wildfire and flood seasons are approaching, the conditions driving both are present, and the window for preparation is now — not after the first evacuation order arrives. Emergency Preparedness Week exists to make that window feel concrete. Use it.