Climate ready measures: General advice
If your home is damaged by a climate hazard, you should:
- Most importantly, keep you and your family safe.
- Report property damage to your insurance provider as soon as possible.
- Record information about the event and the extent of damage to your home. Information can be recorded through written documentation, photographs and/or videos, and can be used to support your insurance claim. It is useful to take pictures with time stamps.
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Download the complete Guide to climate-proof your home.
Talk to your insurance provider
- Are you covered for damage from climate hazards, such as wildfire, flooding, hail, wind, freezing rain and heavy snow? Sometimes specific types of damage can be excluded depending on your policy, or policy deductibles may vary depending on the cause of damage.
- Does that coverage include other structures and belongings, or just the house itself?
- Does your policy have a deductible? Are there separate deductibles for different parts of your home coverage (e.g., a separate deductible tied to your “water damage” or basement flooding endorsement)?
- Do you have coverage for living expenses if you cannot stay in your home?
- Are discounts or other incentives available for climate ready home measures?
- Speak with your insurance provider about how the home improvement measures listed in this guide could affect your insurance policy. Some of the measures - like those focused on basement flooding – could improve your coverage or reduce your insurance premiums.
Talk to a professional contractor
- Because each home is different, qualified, private building inspectors could offer important insights into your home’s capacity to withstand climate hazards.
- Whether you are landscaping, building a new fence or deck, or planting a garden, disturbing the ground on your property can cause damage to a buried utility. Before you disturb the ground, contact Utility Safety Partners (1-800-242-3447) to request that the buried utilities on your property be located and marked.
- Learn about The City’s permit, bylaw and professional requirements for your project before your get started.
- A professional energy advisor can provide detailed information on protecting your home from extreme heat, and also reducing your energy bills.
- A certified arborist can assess the health of your trees and advise on pruning for health and structure or replacement with a suitable species if at end of life.
- Read our tips on hiring the right contractor for you.
Talk to The City
- A development permit allows The City to review your plans and make sure they comply with the Calgary Land Use Bylaw requirements for your property. Not all home improvement projects require a development permit.
- Special regulations apply for development in flood risk areas.
- A Building Permit is designed to address life and safety issues of a structure. Your application will be reviewed for compliance with the National Building Code – Alberta Edition.
- Visit Calgary.ca/MyHome or contact the Planning Services Centre to learn about the permits you will need.
- Learn how to get prepared for any emergency at Calgary.ca/GetReady.
Did you know?
Infrastructure Canada’s Climate-Resilient Buildings and Core Public Infrastructure Initiative aims to integrate climate resilience into building and infrastructure design, guides, and codes, with the goal of addressing climate resilience in the National Building Code 2025 edition. The program will also result in publication of new guidance on protecting buildings and homes against hazards like wildfire, flooding, and other hazards.
Disclaimer: The content of the Climate Ready Home Guide is for informational purposes only and cannot be construed as technical advice with respect to any particular building(s) or construction project(s). The Climate Ready Home Guide does not recommend or endorse specific products or companies. All products and measures should be installed by a professional contractor, according to manufacturer specifications and following all City Bylaws and codes.