Emergency preparedness and extreme weather experiences of Indigenous people, 2024

Over the course of their lives, about 8 in 10 First Nations people living off reserve (82%), Métis (81%) and Inuit (78%) experienced an extreme weather event or natural disaster that caused a severe disruption to their daily activities.

These results are based on new data from the Survey Series on First Nations People, Métis and Inuit, collected from November 18 to December 15, 2024, which shed light on emergency preparedness and extreme weather experiences among Indigenous people aged 15 years and older. The purpose of this survey series is to improve the visibility of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit in national statistics and to fill key data gaps with timely and culturally relevant data.

As the earth's climate continues to change, the rate of extreme weather events is expected to increase with it. This may put First Nations people, Métis and Inuit at a disproportionate risk of suffering adverse effects of extreme weather, due to factors such as remoteness, community size and limited access to emergency resources.

Winter storms the most common cause for concern among First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit

In 2024, about one in five First Nations people living off reserve (22%), Métis (18%) and Inuit (17%) reported that they were extremely concerned or very concerned about extreme weather events or natural disasters affecting themselves or members of their household. These figures were consistent with findings from the fall of 2022, when 20% of the total population in Canada reported the same level of concern.

Among those who reported at least some level of concern, a winter storm was the most reported event, with 36% of First Nations people living off reserve, 33% of Métis and 45% of Inuit reporting concern (Chart 1).

When asked to rate their own level of preparedness for an extreme weather event or natural disaster, 18% of First Nations people living off reserve, 21% of Métis and 17% of Inuit said that they were extremely prepared or very prepared. Just over one-fifth (21%) of Inuit living inside Inuit Nunangat reported a high degree of preparation, while the share among Inuit living outside Inuit Nunangat was 11%.

More than half of First Nations people living off reserve (58%), Métis (55%) and Inuit (53%) reported that they had an emergency exit plan for their home. Among those with a plan, 42% of First Nations people living off reserve, 36% of Métis and 27% of Inuit reported that they had reviewed or practiced their plan within the past 12 months.

Respondents were also asked what items they had in their home or vehicle in case of an extreme weather event or natural disaster. The most common items were emergency lights, non-perishable food and first aid kits (Table 1).

Indigenous people cite winter storms as causing the most severe disruptions

In 2024, the majority of First Nations people living off reserve (82%), Métis (81%) and Inuit (78%) reported experiencing an extreme weather event or natural disaster in their lifetime that caused a severe disruption to their daily activities.

Among Métis and Inuit, the extreme weather event that caused the most severe disruption in their lifetime was a winter storm (Métis: 50%; Inuit: 58%) followed by extreme cold (Métis: 13%; Inuit: 13%). Among First Nations people living off reserve, it was a winter storm (48%) followed by a wildfire or forest fire (13%).

Respondents who had experienced an extreme weather event or natural disaster in their lifetime were asked about any short-term impacts that resulted from the event. Among First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit, the three most common short-term impacts were a loss of access to electricity (First Nations people living off reserve: 61%; Métis: 52%; and Inuit: 59%), an inability to use local roads or transportation (First Nations people: 52%; Métis: 52%; and Inuit: 48%) and an inability to purchase supplies (First Nations people: 44%; Métis: 35%; and Inuit: 50%) (Chart 2).

Many Indigenous people also reported suffering long-term impacts of natural disasters or extreme weather events.

Among First Nations people living off reserve, the most common long-term impacts were the need for major repairs to their residence (13%), loss of contact with family or friends (10%) and mental health disabilities or other psychological consequences (10%).

Among Métis, the most commonly cited long-term impacts were the loss of contact with family or friends (14%), need of major repairs to their residence (12%) and financial debt (11%).

For Inuit, the inability to hunt, fish, trap or gather wild plants (17%) was reported most frequently as a long-term impact.

Indigenous Peoples report highest confidence in fire services to respond to weather emergencies

High levels of confidence in public institutions help communities build resiliency in the face of extreme weather events or natural disasters. Using a scale where 1 meant having "no confidence at all" and 5 meant having "a great deal of confidence," respondents were asked to rate the confidence they had in the ability of institutions to respond in the event of a weather emergency.

Of these institutions, fire services were regarded with the highest degree of confidence in 2024. Three-quarters of First Nations people living off reserve (75%), 80% of Métis and 74% of Inuit reported a high degree of confidence (a score of 4 or 5) in fire services.

Just over half of First Nations people living off reserve (53%) reported a high degree of confidence in emergency medical services, along with 59% of Métis and 53% of Inuit. This was followed by the military (44% for each of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit) and the police (First Nations people: 40%; Métis: 45%; and Inuit: 38%) (Chart 3).

Indigenous renters less likely to be insured from an extreme weather event

As a result of the colonial legacy within policies, jurisdictional barriers, land disposition, forced relocation, Métis scrip, and the reserve system in Canada, where and how Indigenous people live and relate to the land has been drastically impacted. As these colonial legacies continue to impact Indigenous people, so do extreme weather and natural disasters for Indigenous homeowners and renters. Research on home insurance claims has pointed to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events as a major driver of costs, both for the insurance industry and homeowners. Indigenous people, especially in rural or remote areas, may be disproportionately impacted by high insurance costs due to housing situated in flood zones or wildfire regions.

In 2024, among homeowners, just over one in five First Nations people living off reserve (22%), as well as 18% of Métis and 29% of Inuit reported that their home was not covered for structural damage caused by extreme weather or natural disasters.

Among renters, approximately half of First Nations people living off reserve (50%) and Métis (47%) did not have insurance on the contents of their home in 2024. Among Inuit who rented their dwelling, 72% reported that they did not have insurance to cover their personal belongings from an extreme weather event or natural disaster. These figures were significantly higher among renters than for homeowners for all three groups (First Nations people living off reserve: 28%; Métis: 27%; and Inuit: 33%). This may be a particular issue for Inuit living inside Inuit Nunangat, where a significantly higher proportion lived in a rented dwelling (82%) compared with Inuit living outside Inuit Nunangat (48%).