Manitoba’s premier says climate change is leading the province to adjust its disaster support policies so that more people can qualify for aid.
Wab Kinew said Tuesday that residents who could have but didn’t buy flood insurance can still qualify for disaster financial assistance, in a break from existing rules.
“We’re not going to let the rules as posted on the website stand in the way of doing the right thing,” Kinew said at an event in Selkirk, Man.
“The climate is changing, and our policy and emergency response has to change with it.”
Parts of Manitoba got hit with torrential rain last week that led to rivers overflowing and basements filling with water.
Several municipalities declared states of local emergency as they worked to respond to the flooding.
Some affected residents don’t have the added coverage needed for overland flooding or sewage backups.
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Kinew said it’s reasonable that people didn’t buy coverage for a kind of disaster they haven’t seen in decades.
“For folks who’ve never seen a natural disaster of this sort in certain parts of the province, I don’t think we can hold them to a rule that was developed before the impacts of climate change were as apparent.”
Providing government aid, however, can reduce the chance that residents buy flood insurance in the future.
A Public Safety Canada study released in 2024 found that removing disaster financial assistance is one of the key ways to improve uptake of private flood insurance. The study said it’s important that there aren’t alternatives to buying coverage.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada didn’t push back on Kinew’s planned policy change. But Liam McGuinty, the association’s vice-president of federal affairs, said there are plenty of private insurance options available.
“By and large, there is availability for overland flood coverage,” he said.
“What’s equally important for governments to do, as they’re considering their role, is to think about how we create more resilient communities and protect our homes.”
Kinew said the province is still working on the details of the support programs, including what kind of payouts residents can expect.
© 2026 The Canadian Press
