Wawanesa increases funding to $200,000 for Community Wildfire Prevention Grants
October 28, 2025, Winnipeg (Manitoba) – In response to escalating wildfire risks across Canada, Wawanesa is increasing the funding available through its Community Wildfire Prevention Grants to $200,000 as the next round of applications opens. Ten grants will be awarded to support community-led prevention and mitigation efforts.
The Community Wildfire Prevention Grants are a cornerstone of the Wawanesa Climate Champions program, which invests $2 million annually to support the people and organizations on the front lines of climate change. Now in its fourth year, Wawanesa’s Community Wildfire Prevention Grants were developed in collaboration with FireSmartTM Canada and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction and originally provided $150,000 in funding.
“After a destructive wildfire season in Canada, it’s clear that communities need more support to reduce their risk and help them adapt,” said Mitchell McEwen, Wawanesa’s Director of Sustainability, Climate Resilience & Community Impact. “Through Wawanesa Climate Champions, we’re proud to support organizations and communities leading local solutions. Tackling climate change takes collective effort – to build stronger, more resilient communities and help Canadians protect what matters most.”
Since launching the Community Wildfire Prevention Grants in 2022, Wawanesa has provided more than $450,000 to 35 communities across Canada to support dozens of grassroots initiatives, helping build resilience in high-risk areas. Previous funding recipients include rural municipalities, Indigenous communities, property owner associations, and youth organizations.
“FireSmart Canada is proud to collaborate with Wawanesa to support the Community Wildfire Prevention Grants program,” said Hannah Swift, Director of Prevention and Mitigation at the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, which operates FireSmart Canada. “Resilience is built through local leadership and collective action. This important initiative provides communities with the support they need to take proactive steps that reduce their shared wildland fire risk.”
“Wildfire conditions are changing faster than anyone had previously thought,” said Paul Kovacs, Executive Director of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction. “Wawanesa’s commitment to funding wildfire prevention and mitigation initiatives is a vital step toward helping communities adapt, share best practices, and reduce the devastating effects these events have on lives and livelihoods nationwide.”
For more details and how to apply, please visit the Community Wildfire Prevention Grants webpage. The deadline to apply for funding is December 9, 2025.
About The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company, founded in 1896, is one of Canada’s largest mutual insurers, with over $4 billion in annual revenue and assets of $11.5 billion. Wawanesa Mutual, with its National Headquarters in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada, and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than 1.87 million members in Canada. The company actively gives back to organizations that strengthen communities, donating more than $3.5 million annually to charitable organizations, including over $2 million annually in support of people on the front lines of climate change. Learn more at wawanesa.com.
For more information:
Michel Rosset
Manager, Corporate Communications & Media Relations
The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
media@wawanesa.com