ICLR showcases Quebec home retrofitted to reduce snow, earthquake damage

The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) has showcased a Quebec home, retrofitted to reduce the impact of winter storms and earthquakes, as part of an ongoing effort to inform Canadians about preventing damage from extreme events.

The Quebec City home, retrofitted in partnership with Desjardins Insurance, was unveiled during Emergency Preparedness Week, which ran from May 5 to May 11. This was the eleventh year that ICLR and the insurance industry have showcased a retrofitted home as part of the awareness week.

“Actions taken to make a home more resilient to natural catastrophes should reflect local hazard risk,” noted Glenn McGillvray, managing director of ICLR.

“Quebec represents one of three of the most seismically active areas in Canada,” he said. “Additionally, the region is regularly hit with several severe winter storms every year. Homeowners can prepare now for hazards that will inevitably strike in the future.”

The Quebec home retrofit included:

• Installing snow melt cables on roof edges and gutters to prevent the formation of ice dams
• Applying safety and security film to windows
• Installing an electric surge protection system
• Installing an emergency generator with propane fuel tank
• Building a secure framing around the propane tank
• Installing a fire extinguisher
• Installing insulation around the main door
• Securing the hot water tank
• Securing cabinet doors
• Installing armoured supply hoses on the washing machine.

About 450 earthquakes occur in eastern Canada every year, according to Natural Resources Canada. Out of that number, an average of four will exceed magnitude 4.

Quebec has two main earthquake seismic zones, ICLR noted. The Western Quebec Seismic Zone includes a large area that includes the Ottawa Valley from Montreal to to Temiscamingue, as well as the Laurentians and eastern Ontario. The urban areas of Montreal, Ottawa-Hull and Cornwall are also all located in that zone.

The Charlevoix Seismic Zone, located approximately 100 km downstream from Quebec City, is the most seismically active region of eastern Canada.

Quebec City also is one of the snowiest cities in Canada, ICLR noted, adding that it receives about 316 cm of snowfall each year. In 2007-08, the city had just over 500 cm of snow, and snowstorms with over 10 cm per day occur an average of nine times each year, according to ICLR.

“We can prevent natural hazards from becoming disasters if people undertake simple, appropriate preventative measures beforehand,” McGillvray noted. “Such actions and measures are affordable and take little time to do.”

ICLR has also retrofitted a community health centre, and has retrofitted child care centres across Canada as part of its “Protecting our Kids from Disasters” program.