Applications open for 10 new Community Wildfire Prevention Grants

The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (Wawanesa) has once again partnered with FireSmart Canada and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) to offer Community Wildfire Prevention Grants. These grants are part of Wawanesa’s broader commitment to building climate-resilient communities through the Wawanesa Climate Champions Program, which invests $2 million annually into supporting people on the front lines of climate change.

Wawanesa, FireSmart Canada and ICLR are offering 10 grants of up to $15,000 each to help communities across Canada increase their resilience to wildfire through prevention and mitigation activities.

“Wildfires uprooted so many lives this year, with devastating impacts to homes, businesses, and communities across Canada,” said Jackie De Pape Hornick, Wawanesa’s director, corporate communications and community impact. “We’re pleased to partner with the experts at FireSmart Canada and ICLR to support wildfire prevention and help communities reduce the risks of climate-related disasters before they happen. This is one of the ways our Wawanesa Climate Champions program is helping to build a safer, more sustainable future for our members, employees, and communities.”

Last year’s grants were awarded to communities across Canada, including Indigenous communities, rural municipalities, towns, residents’ associations, and local fire departments. The grants went toward a range of wildfire prevention activities, such as rapid deployment sprinkler systems, home preparedness kits, wildfire buffer zones, public education, emergency evacuation planning, and more. For a complete list of recipient communities, as well as project eligibility and application criteria, please visit our Wildfire Prevention website here.

Communities across Canada are now welcome to apply. Grant applications must be received before Dec. 15, 2023 at 12 p.m. CST and will be evaluated by a committee of wildfire prevention subject matter experts from Wawanesa, FireSmart Canada, and ICLR. Grant recipients will be announced on March 1, 2024.