Arctic outflow winds that swept across Western Canada in mid-January led to long wait times for those who needed pipe repairs and set a new record for energy usage in B.C., as people cranked up the heat.
It also led to more than $180 million in insured damages in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan, according to estimates from the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC).
B.C. incurred a lion’s share of that amount, racking up about $140 million in insured damages, according to Rob de Pruis, the bureau’s national director of consumer and industry relations.
He said 70 per cent of insurance claims related to the cold snap were for personal property and damage caused by frozen and burst water pipes.
LISTEN |
