A New National Survey Quantifies Canada's Flood Risk Blind Spot — And an Underreported Barrier to Preparation
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Most Canadians are not worried about flooding. That finding, from a national survey released by Intact Insurance on April 1, 2026, puts a number on what flood preparedness advocates have long suspected: there is a persistent gap between how Canadians perceive flood risk and how much of the country is actually exposed to it.
The survey, conducted by Léger among 1,639 Canadians, found that 62% are not concerned about experiencing flooding in their home or community. Meanwhile, federal data confirms that roughly 80% of major Canadian cities sit wholly or partially within floodplain zones — and flooding remains the country's most frequent and costliest natural hazard.
What makes this survey more than a seasonal talking point is a less-discussed finding buried in the results: 20% of Canadians named difficulty finding reliable contractors as one of their top three barriers to taking additional steps to protect their home against extreme weather. The story isn't just that people aren't worried. It's that even those who want to prepare are running into practical obstacles.
The survey was conducted by Léger from March 13 to 16, 2026, among 1,639 Canadians aged 18 and over. Results were weighted by gender, age, region, language, and household composition. A probability sample of that size carries a margin of error of ±2.43 percentage points, 19 times out of 20 — making this a statistically robust national snapshot, not a marketing poll.
The headline finding — 62% not concerned about flooding — captures a broad national attitude. But Intact framed the results more pointedly, calling it a "national flood risk blind spot." Mel Wright, Vice-President and Head of Intact Insurance's "Keep It Intact" prevention program, acknowledged that many Canadians simply don't believe flooding will happen to them — even when their community sits in or near a floodplain.
That framing matters. It distinguishes between people who have assessed the risk and decided it's low, and people who haven't thought about it at all. The survey suggests there are a lot more of the latter.
The 62% figure becomes more striking when set against the physical geography. According to the Government of Canada's flood preparedness guidance, over 80% of Canadians live in urban areas, and about 80% of major Canadian cities are located wholly or partially in flood zones. Floods can occur in any region and at any time of year, driven by heavy rainfall, melting snow, ice jams, storm surges, and groundwater flooding.
This isn't a new pattern. A Public Safety Canada study from 2016 found that 54% of Canadians were not concerned about floods damaging their homes, 60% had done nothing to protect their homes because they didn't think they were at risk, and 40% either believed they had overland flood insurance or didn't know whether they did. A decade later, the Intact survey shows the complacency needle has barely moved — and may have ticked upward.
The disconnect runs in both directions. A 2025 survey by First Onsite Property Restoration found that 73% of Canadians expressed worry about the effects of climate change and extreme weather, with 66% specifically fearing severe rain and flooding. British Columbia (73%), Atlantic Canada (71%), and Quebec (70%) registered the highest regional concern. In other words, Canadians are anxious about climate change in the abstract — but a majority still don't believe flooding will affect their own home. The gap between general worry and personal risk assessment is where complacency lives.
Flooding is Canada's most costly and frequent natural hazard in terms of property damage. Insured losses from severe weather now routinely exceed $2 billion annually, up from an average of $701 million per year between 2001 and 2010. The financial exposure is accelerating even as public concern stays flat.
The 20% contractor-access finding deserves more attention than it has received. Most coverage of the Intact survey has focused on the perception gap — the "62% aren't worried" headline. But the contractor barrier changes the narrative from simple apathy to something more structural: even motivated homeowners face a supply-side constraint.
This aligns with broader labour market data. Employment and Social Development Canada estimates that by 2033, there will be more than 410,000 job openings for skilled trades in the construction sector alone, including roughly 189,000 due to retirements.
The pipeline isn't filling fast enough. A 2025 Conference Board of Canada report found that job vacancies among skilled trades in residential construction have been growing at about 11% per year and could rise to 13% annually between 2026 and 2045, with a potential shortfall of around 32,000 workers by 2045.
The implication for flood preparedness is direct. Sump pump installations, backwater valve retrofits, foundation drainage work — these are skilled-trade jobs. When one in five homeowners can't find someone to do the work, the bottleneck isn't just awareness. It's capacity.
Intact highlighted its Jiffy app as one response to this barrier, connecting homeowners with vetted professionals for on-demand home maintenance. The service currently operates in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Montreal. Whether or not a single platform solves the broader access problem, the fact that Canada's largest property and casualty insurer is investing in contractor matchmaking signals how seriously the industry views this constraint.
The Intact survey was released alongside a set of practical, low-cost flood prevention tips — the kind of quick-win measures that don't require a contractor. These include clearing gutters, downspouts, and storm drains to allow water to flow freely; ensuring water drains at least two metres from foundations; moving snow one to two metres away from the foundation; and clearing snow and ice from basement window wells and exterior drains.
For homeowners ready to go further, testing or installing a sump pump is one of the most effective single steps.
Cleaning or installing a backwater valve prevents sewage from backing up during heavy rain.
Moving valuables off basement floors or into waterproof containers reduces damage when water does get in.
If evacuation is advised due to flood risk, Intact recommends shutting off the main water valve if safe, documenting each room with photos or video for insurance purposes, and bringing insurance documents, identification, health cards, medications, and a phone charger. Place important documents in a sealed, waterproof bag — and avoid walking or driving through floodwater.
These steps are not a substitute for larger resilience measures — but they represent the low-hanging fruit that most homeowners can address this weekend without hiring anyone.
This survey lands at a specific moment. Homeowner.ca has been tracking regional flood warnings across Ontario and Manitoba as snowpack levels and melt timelines develop.
Similar warnings have been issued for Atlantic Canada.
The Yukon has also flagged elevated risk as above-average snowpack threatens several communities.
Updated flood mapping from NRCan is making it easier for homeowners to check whether their property sits in a mapped flood zone.
Allstate Canada recently reported that external flooding insurance claims nearly doubled in 2025 — yet 53% of homeowners said they wouldn't take additional protective action.
The Intact survey provides the national data backbone for all of this coverage. It quantifies why Canadians aren't preparing — and surfaces a practical barrier (contractor access) that won't resolve itself through awareness campaigns alone.
For homeowners wondering where to start, the Canada Flood Map Inventory is the first step: check whether your property is in a mapped flood zone. From there, the quick-win prevention tips above are the minimum. And if your home needs a sump pump, backwater valve, or drainage work — start looking for a contractor now, before seasonal demand makes availability even tighter.
