Skip to main content
Français

Wawanesa's Community Wildfire Prevention Grants

As part of our Wawanesa Climate Champions commitment to help communities become more climate resilient, we partnered with FireSmart™ Canada and the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) to offer our Community Wildfire Prevention Grants.

These grants are part of our 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.

Meet the 12 communities across Canada receiving grants in 2024 totalling $150,000:

Alongside Property Owners Association

Nova Scotia

Learn more
This project will see the execution of a vegetation management plan to remove overly mature trees, deadwood, and undergrowth to reduce the fuel for wildfires and wind-related risks of trees falling on power lines and blocking access to roads. Once the vegetation has been cleared, community members will replant fire-resistant trees in the area. This project will allow the Alongside Property Owners Association, all residents on Mason's Point and the larger community of Head of St. Margaret’s Bay make a start on reducing the risk of wildfire and otherwise adapting to Climate Change.

City of Whitehorse

Yukon

Learn more
This project will see the launch of a FireSmart educational campaign through various media including bus ads, radio, print, websites, social media, and in-person events from May to October to help spread fire prevention education to residents and property owners. The project will target Whitehorse businesses, residents, families, and children with a goal to increase fire prevention actions on their residential and/or commercial properties.

Douro-Dummer Township Fire Department

Ontario

Learn more
This project will see the launch of an awareness campaign aimed at mixed groups of people from permanent residents and cottagers to short-term renters and summer visitors, with a goal to educate on wildfire prevention and mitigate property loss. The project will create and install signs in high foot traffic areas that will include QR codes to make current information easily accessible to anyone.

Parkland County Fire Services

Alberta

Learn more
This project will see community clean up events to engage residents to clear combustible materials and maintain firebreaks to reduce the risk of fires to homes and properties. By collaborating with local volunteers, community groups, and environmental organizations, the Parkland community will foster a culture of proactive prevention and community engagement.

Saulteau First Nations

British Columbia

Learn more
This project will see Saulteau First Nations create an emergency management manual and educational materials that are community-specific and culturally informed. These materials will be shared within the community and translated into one of their primary languages, Cree. This project will increase community capacity in emergency management through effective education, increased protection of homes, and cultivation of Saulteau First Nations' own approach to wildfire management using both contemporary emergency management and Indigenous knowledge.

Watson Lake Fire Department

Yukon

Learn more
This project will see the Lesser Slave Regional Fire Service offer their ‘Wildland Urban Interface Basics’ course to Watson Lake and supporting agency fire professionals and conduct community hazard assessments. The project will also distribute home sprinkler kits to community members coupled with an incentive for them to complete fire prevention strategies on their property.

Bimose Tribal Council

Ontario

Learn more
This project will see the launch of an education campaign to 10 First Nations and engage community members to practice fire prevention education. The project is rooted in collaboration and gathering at barbecue events held to distribute literature and create FireSmart committees to ensure ongoing co-ordination of wildfire prevention efforts. These initiatives will contribute to the reduction of wildfire risks in Bimose’s member communities and enhance resilience.

City of Yellowknife

Northwest Territories

Learn more
This project will see the development of educational materials to help residents learn how they can prevent wildfires from happening and reduce the impact of loss to their property. The project will also make updates to the city’s website to become the main source of accurate and timely wildfire prevention and emergency response information for the area.

Edson Fire Department

Alberta

Learn more
This project will see the creation of a new Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) as well as a geographic information system map for the Town of Edson to easily identify wildfire threats, while offering effective prevention and mitigation strategies for the ongoing safety of the town and its residents.

RM of Victoria Beach

Manitoba

Learn more
This project will see the development and execution of a vegetation management plan for the RM of Victoria Beach and surrounding municipalities. The community faces a major wildfire risk with overgrown brush, piles of dead/downed trees, and hazardous fuel loads in wildland urban interface areas. The project will safely remove large amounts of combustible material to make the community more wildfire resilient.

Setting Lake Cottage Owners Association

Manitoba

Learn more
This project will see the launch of a public education campaign to encourage residents to participate in a National Wildfire Protection Day event. The local fire department will work with the provincial wildfire service program to conduct free FireSmart Home Assessments to provide recommendations on how to prevent the spread of fire and reduce property loss. The project will offer subsidized sprinklers for purchase to residents and offer guidelines on how to configure, install, and operate their systems. A new sprinkler system will also be installed in the fire hall to ensure it remains operational and able to respond to emergencies.

Westwood Hills Residents Association

Nova Scotia

Learn more
This project will see a community event featuring knowledgeable industry speakers who will share best practices around vegetation and forest management. Attendees will receive a chance to win one of a few door prizes at the event which are fire-resistant vegetation they can plant on their property. The project will also create a forestry management equipment tool kit that any resident can borrow to reduce the risk of fire on their property and in their community.

Supporting community wildfire prevention is one of the ways we help build a safer, more sustainable future for our communities.

Our grant application process will resume in the fall of 2024.

Application components

1) Letter of support

Prepare a signed letter as proof of endorsement from your local fire department.

Available in fall 2024

2) Budget template

Include a completed budget that meets funding requirements.

Available in fall 2024

3) Application form

Once your documents are prepared, use the link below to fill out the application form and submit your grant funding request.

Available in fall 2024

Firesmart, Intelli-feu and other associated Marks are trademarks of the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Application submissions will be evaluated first by a committee of select Wawanesa employees. The shortlist will then be judged by a committee of wildfire prevention and mitigation subject matter experts from Wawanesa, FireSmart™ Canada and ICLR. This Community Wildfire Prevention Grant program is subject to the Wildfire Prevention Grant program Terms & Conditions. By applying for a grant, all applicants are aware of and accept all of the Community Wildfire Prevention Grant program Terms & Conditions.

Back to Top