City of Calgary receives ICLR’s Resilience in Recovery Award for Resilient Roofing Rebate Program

While Calgary routinely experiences hail storms in the spring and summer months, the hail storm experienced in June 2020 was one of the costliest storms in Canadian history. As a result, The City launched the Resilient Roofing Rebate Program to incentivize citizens to consider impact-resistant roofing products to help protect homes and build a more resilient city.

“The Resilient Roofing Rebate Program was born out of a time of great need within our city. Severe damage to our homes and buildings from the June 2020 hail storm changed our rebuild strategy to help Calgarians switch to roofing materials that can withstand more extreme weather events,” says Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “The program was a win-win for both Calgarians and the climate and I want to thank The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction for recognizing Calgary’s forward-thinking initiative.”

The program, which educated Calgarians about impact-resistant roofing materials and incentivized property owners to replace their damaged roof to install certified Class 4 impact-resistant roofing products through a $3,000 rebate is being awarded the first-ever Resilience in Recovery award from The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction.

“The award recognizes Calgary for its progressive actions, milestone achievements, and significant uptake of its resilience programming by Calgary residents,” says Paul Kovacs, executive director of the ICLR. “Calgary’s comprehensive strategy resulted in three key outcomes: increased public awareness of the risk of loss and proven protective actions, damaged homes rebuilt with enhanced protection, and advocacy for change in construction practices and regulation.”

The Resilience in Recovery Award was created by The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), Canada’s leading disaster research institute, to celebrate the leadership of communities like Calgary, that increase awareness about climate resilience and create high-impact programs to build back better after a severe weather event.

Class 4 impact-resistant roofing is designed to survive greater impacts than standard products and come in a variety of materials including asphalt shingles, clay or concrete tile, metal, and recycled rubber. By program end in May 2022, 1600, rebates were awarded to homeowners who upgraded their roof using impact-resistant materials.

In addition to the program, The City is championing a proposal for regulatory improvements which would introduce an impact rating for asphalt shingles and ensure enhanced installation requirement for roofing in Alberta. The proposed code change would address the impact of hail at a regional level and apply to the 2026 National Building Code cycle.

More information about preparing for a hail storm, protecting your home and cleaning up hail damage is available at calgary.ca/hail.

Resilience in Recovery – Resilient Roofing Rebate Map