Vanessa Big Eagle, a band councilor overseeing housing for the Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation, faced significant damage to her own home due to severe weather conditions. She described the May winds as unprecedented, resulting in 23 out of 54 homes in her community being affected, with her own house suffering the most damage as the roof was largely blown off.
Insurance claims were promptly filed for the damaged homes managed by the First Nation, yet many remain in need of repairs, leading one family to seek temporary accommodation in a hotel. Big Eagle expressed concerns about the recurring nature of such weather events, questioning whether budgeting for such losses should become a regular practice.
Recent data indicates a surge in insured losses in Saskatchewan due to severe weather, potentially leading to increased insurance rates. Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. reported that the province experienced its highest dollar amount of insured losses from major weather events in 2025, totaling $450 million, since the firm began tracking data in 2008.
The extreme winds in June were responsible for the largest insured loss recorded in Saskatchewan at $240 million, followed by the impact of northern wildfires last summer. Laura Twidle, the president and CEO of the firm, highlighted the significant insured losses observed in the past two years, particularly emphasizing the unprecedented nature of last year’s losses.
Jason Thistlethwaite, a professor at the University of Waterloo, warned that even individuals with undamaged property could face the repercussions of increased insurance costs as insurers seek to recover losses through higher premiums and stricter coverage. Thistlethwaite advocated for a shift towards proactive measures to prevent property damage rather than solely focusing on post-disaster recovery efforts.
Repair companies in Saskatchewan, such as Leeway Mechanical Inc. and Fire & Flood, have reported a surge in demand for services to address weather-related damages, including flooded basements and damaged roofs. The rise in extreme weather incidents has significantly increased their workload, with calls for assistance escalating notably in recent years.