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Wawanesa's Community Wildfire Prevention Grants

Supporting community wildfire prevention is one of the ways Wawanesa Insurance is helping to build a safer, more sustainable future for our communities. We have partnered with the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) and FireSmart Canada™ to offer $150,000 in grant funding to help communities across Canada increase their resilience to wildfires through risk reduction or prevention activities.

Recipients of our inaugural Community Wildfire Prevention Grants are listed below.

Anarchist Mountain Fire Rescue

British Columbia

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This initiative will see the Anarchist Mountain Wildfire Prevention (FireSmart) team proactively mitigate wildfire risk in two neighbourhoods with no water sources using a rapid deployment sprinkler system fed by two portable water bladders and 1,000 metres of hose.

Chateau Village Property Owners Association (CVPOA)

Nova Scotia

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This initiative will see the CVPOA create a FireSmart demonstration area centred around a popular site in the community, and additionally would extend FireSmart principles to walking trails around the site and distribute an Emergency Evacuation Plan for the community.

M'Chigeeng First Nation Fire Department

Ontario

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This initiative will see the community’s fire department purchase equipment in order to lead efforts to clear sensitive areas of old vegetation via prescribed burning, and to provide wildfire prevention education materials in both English and Ojibwe.

Temagami First Nation

Ontario

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This initiative will see the community purchase equipment to remove deadfall trees, increase separation between vegetation and structures and create fire breaks around the community, and for fire prevention and firefighting including pumps, hose, nozzles and sprinklers.

Town of Fort Smith

Northwest Territories

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This initiative will see the local volunteer fire/EMS service, in partnership with the local FireSmart Community Recognition Committee, introduce an ‘Education through Mitigation’ program where experts will engage with local residential property owners on measures they can take to reduce the risk of damage due to wildfire.

Vulcan County Emergency Services

Alberta

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This initiative will see the development and dissemination throughout the community of printed education materials surrounding a number of community safety initiatives including on home ignition zones and how to prepare individual properties, wildfire home inspection programs and how to mitigate the risk, and 72 hour emergency preparedness.

Bonnyville Regional Fire Authority

Alberta

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This initiative will see residents of the Municipal District of Bonnyville be encouraged, and incentivized through the provision of a free 72 hour preparedness kit, to have FireSmart home assessments conducted on their properties by qualified and competent FireSmart assessors.

Manitouwadge Fire Department

Ontario

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This initiative will see an outreach/public awareness campaign launched to inform residents about Manitouwadge’s upcoming Community Wildfire Protection Plan, allowing the Township’s fire department to conduct door to door canvassing and spend individual time with homeowners of at-risk properties to help teach and prepare them to be more wildfire resistant.

Rural Municipality of West Interlake

Manitoba

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This initiative will see the municipal government, in coordination with two local fire departments, assist property owners and businesses to create clearance around every tree in proximity to their home or business.

The Owners, Strata Plan KAS 1547 (Arbutus Estates Villas)

British Columbia

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This initiative will see a contractor remove all combustible vegetation previously identified by a Kamloops Fire Rescue FireSmart assessment that is located within 1.5 metres of structures and the replacement of this flammable vegetation with FireSmart-safe options.

Town of Gillam

Manitoba

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This initiative will see Town personnel, in cooperation with Natural Resources and Northern Development, work to thin and remove vegetation overgrowth and deadfall, as identified by the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, in order to reduce the intensity of potential wildfires and ember generation and create a zone of protection that currently does not exist.

Our grant application process will resume in the fall of 2023. Find out more about project eligibility and criteria.

Together, we can help build safer more sustainable communities.

Steps to apply

1) Letter of support

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

Download letter template

2) Budget document

Include a completed budget that meets funding requirements.

Download budget template

3) Application form

Our grant application process will resume in the fall of 2023.

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 subject matter experts from Wawanesa, ICLR and FireSmart™ Canada. 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.

FAQ

How long does it take to complete an application?

The application form takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. Before completing the application, please ensure you have a well thought out project that demonstrates a clear positive impact on your community to reduce the risks of or prevent wildfires. You must also attach a completed Budget Template and a signed letter of endorsement from your local fire department for your application to be considered complete.

Can I start my application form and save it or edit my application at a later date prior to submitting?

No. Once you begin the application form, please be prepared to submit it in its entirety.

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What must be included with my application?

Application are considered complete when they include the following:

  • Letter of support from your local fire department representative and/or fire chief
  • Completed budget document
  • Completed application form

Is a letter from my local fire department required?

Yes, this is required as part of the application process. We have provided a template to make this easier for you. This step is required as it helps us validate that the project you’ve proposed is in line with your fire department’s community prevention plans and will not directly conflict with any current initiatives in your community.

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How much grant money can I apply for?

Applicants can apply for up to $15,000 per project.

How will the grants be selected?

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 subject matter experts from Wawanesa, the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) and Firesmart Canada.

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What activities can the grant be used for?

The grant money is intended to increase community resiliency against the impacts of wildfires. The activities you propose in your project should be aimed at mitigating or preventing damages to your community caused by wildfires.

A detailed breakdown of eligible and ineligible expenses can be found in the downloadable “Budget Template”. For ideas, you can also consult FireSmart’s seven disciplines to help neighbourhoods address the threat of wildfire.

Funding cannot be applied to normal operations of an organization or be in conflict with other partner provided funding programs such those operated by FireSmart Canada or ICLR.

Applicants should also demonstrate a clear need for funding.

Who can apply?

Any of the following applicants may apply:

  • Fire Departments
  • Municipalities
  • Home/Neighborhood associations
  • Non-Profit/Charitable Organizations
  • Indigenous Communities
  • Citizen Groups/Volunteer Community Groups

Applicants may not be any of the following:

  • A privately held for-profit company or corporation
  • Individual land/property owners requesting a grant specifically for single dwelling or residential property prevention projects

Applications from disproportionally affected communities may be prioritized.

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Where can projects take place?

Projects submitted for grant funding must take place within Canada.

What if I still have questions about my application or the application process?

Please contact sustainability@wawanesa.com with any outstanding questions.

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