Canada’s public infrastructure is vulnerable to earthquake damage

Every year, more than 4,000 earthquakes are recorded in Canada. While most are small and can be easy to ignore, the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) warns that a major earthquake will one day hit Canada.  Almost 40 percent of Canadians live and work in zones of high or moderate risk of loss from an earthquake,  but many appear unaware of the hazard. An essential first step required for individuals, businesses and governments to reduce the risk of loss from an earthquake is to understand their vulnerability.

The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) today released a study entitled Reducing the risk of earthquake damage in Canada: Lessons from Haiti and Chile. Written by ICLR Executive Director Paul Kovacs and sponsored by Lloyd’s, the paper identifies lessons for reducing the risk of earthquake damage in Canada based upon the recent tragic events in Haiti and Chile.

This report identifies seven lessons for Canada, and in doing so, examines the country’s state of preparedness and resilience to extreme earthquake events. There are many areas of strength in Canada’s preparedness and resilience, yet there are also several areas where improvement is needed. Of particular concern is the vulnerability of public infrastructure, some concerns about the preparedness of the federal government, and the need to retrofit older homes and buildings.

The lessons for Canada are:

1. It is inevitable that a major earthquake will strike Canada
2. We can help prevent earthquakes from becoming disasters
3. Building codes and retrofits protect lives and property
4. Canada’s public infrastructure is vulnerable to damage
5. Effective preparedness will reduce the risk of losses
6. Canadians must understand recovery tools like insurance3
7. Science and research provide the foundation for action

In particular, this report focuses on two regions where more than 75 percent of the country’s seismic vulnerability is concentrated:

• There is at least a 30 percent chance that an earthquake strong enough to cause significant damage will strike southwestern British Columbia in the next fifty years. This is a rapidly growing region that includes Vancouver and Victoria.
• There is a 5 to 15 percent chance that a damaging earthquake will strike in southern Quebec or eastern Ontario in the next fifty years. This region includes Montreal, Ottawa and Quebec City.

ICLR hopes the report will foster increased awareness about the potential impact of a major earthquake in Canada, and lead to opportunities to prevent or mitigate the risk of loss. The paper also seeks to strengthen the willingness to invest further in resilient buildings, infrastructure and preparedness. The best time to act is now, before a large earthquake strikes, it says.

To access the report, click here: http://www.iclr.org/images/Reducing_earthquake_risk.pdf (PDF)

You might also be interested in: The top ten Canadian earthquakes of all time

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