Emergency preparedness and extreme weather experiences of Indigenous people, 2024
Released: 2025-04-08
Over the course of their lives, about 8 in 10 First Nations people living off reserve (82%), Métis (81%) and Inuit (78%) experienced an extreme weather event or natural disaster that caused a severe disruption to their daily activities.
These results are based on new data from the Survey Series on First Nations People, Métis and Inuit, collected from November 18 to December 15, 2024, which shed light on emergency preparedness and extreme weather experiences among Indigenous people aged 15 years and older. The purpose of this survey series is to improve the visibility of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit in national statistics and to fill key data gaps with timely and culturally relevant data.
As the earth's climate continues to change, the rate of extreme weather events is expected to increase with it. This may put First Nations people, Métis and Inuit at a disproportionate risk of suffering adverse effects of extreme weather, due to factors such as remoteness, community size and limited access to emergency resources.
Winter storms the most common cause for concern among First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit
In 2024, about one in five First Nations people living off reserve (22%), Métis (18%) and Inuit (17%) reported that they were extremely concerned or very concerned about extreme weather events or natural disasters affecting themselves or members of their household. These figures were consistent with findings from the fall of 2022, when 20% of the total population in Canada reported the same level of concern.
Among those who reported at least some level of concern, a winter storm was the most reported event, with 36% of First Nations people living off reserve, 33% of Métis and 45% of Inuit reporting concern (Chart 1).
Chart 1
Extreme weather event or natural disaster type that was of most concern for First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit, aged 15 years and older, Canada, 2024
When asked to rate their own level of preparedness for an extreme weather event or natural disaster, 18% of First Nations people living off reserve, 21% of Métis and 17% of Inuit said that they were extremely prepared or very prepared. Just over one-fifth (21%) of Inuit living inside Inuit Nunangat reported a high degree of preparation, while the share among Inuit living outside Inuit Nunangat was 11%.
More than half of First Nations people living off reserve (58%), Métis (55%) and Inuit (53%) reported that they had an emergency exit plan for their home. Among those with a plan, 42% of First Nations people living off reserve, 36% of Métis and 27% of Inuit reported that they had reviewed or practiced their plan within the past 12 months.
Respondents were also asked what items they had in their home or vehicle in case of an extreme weather event or natural disaster. The most common items were emergency lights, non-perishable food and first aid kits (Table 1).
Indigenous people cite winter storms as causing the most severe disruptions
In 2024, the majority of First Nations people living off reserve (82%), Métis (81%) and Inuit (78%) reported experiencing an extreme weather event or natural disaster in their lifetime that caused a severe disruption to their daily activities.
Among Métis and Inuit, the extreme weather event that caused the most severe disruption in their lifetime was a winter storm (Métis: 50%; Inuit: 58%) followed by extreme cold (Métis: 13%; Inuit: 13%). Among First Nations people living off reserve, it was a winter storm (48%) followed by a wildfire or forest fire (13%).
Respondents who had experienced an extreme weather event or natural disaster in their lifetime were asked about any short-term impacts that resulted from the event. Among First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit, the three most common short-term impacts were a loss of access to electricity (First Nations people living off reserve: 61%; Métis: 52%; and Inuit: 59%), an inability to use local roads or transportation (First Nations people: 52%; Métis: 52%; and Inuit: 48%) and an inability to purchase supplies (First Nations people: 44%; Métis: 35%; and Inuit: 50%) (Chart 2).
Chart 2
Reported short-term impacts resulting from an extreme weather event or natural disaster for First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit, aged 15 years and older, Canada, 2024
Many Indigenous people also reported suffering long-term impacts of natural disasters or extreme weather events.
Among First Nations people living off reserve, the most common long-term impacts were the need for major repairs to their residence (13%), loss of contact with family or friends (10%) and mental health disabilities or other psychological consequences (10%).
Among Métis, the most commonly cited long-term impacts were the loss of contact with family or friends (14%), need of major repairs to their residence (12%) and financial debt (11%).
For Inuit, the inability to hunt, fish, trap or gather wild plants (17%) was reported most frequently as a long-term impact.
Indigenous Peoples report highest confidence in fire services to respond to weather emergencies
High levels of confidence in public institutions help communities build resiliency in the face of extreme weather events or natural disasters. Using a scale where 1 meant having "no confidence at all" and 5 meant having "a great deal of confidence," respondents were asked to rate the confidence they had in the ability of institutions to respond in the event of a weather emergency.
Of these institutions, fire services were regarded with the highest degree of confidence in 2024. Three-quarters of First Nations people living off reserve (75%), 80% of Métis and 74% of Inuit reported a high degree of confidence (a score of 4 or 5) in fire services.
Just over half of First Nations people living off reserve (53%) reported a high degree of confidence in emergency medical services, along with 59% of Métis and 53% of Inuit. This was followed by the military (44% for each of First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit) and the police (First Nations people: 40%; Métis: 45%; and Inuit: 38%) (Chart 3).
Chart 3
High level of confidence in selected public services to respond to an extreme weather event or natural disaster for First Nations people living off reserve, Métis and Inuit, aged 15 years and older, Canada, 2024
Indigenous renters less likely to be insured from an extreme weather event
As a result of the colonial legacy within policies, jurisdictional barriers, land disposition, forced relocation, Métis scrip, and the reserve system in Canada, where and how Indigenous people live and relate to the land has been drastically impacted. As these colonial legacies continue to impact Indigenous people, so do extreme weather and natural disasters for Indigenous homeowners and renters. Research on home insurance claims has pointed to the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events as a major driver of costs, both for the insurance industry and homeowners. Indigenous people, especially in rural or remote areas, may be disproportionately impacted by high insurance costs due to housing situated in flood zones or wildfire regions.
In 2024, among homeowners, just over one in five First Nations people living off reserve (22%), as well as 18% of Métis and 29% of Inuit reported that their home was not covered for structural damage caused by extreme weather or natural disasters.
Among renters, approximately half of First Nations people living off reserve (50%) and Métis (47%) did not have insurance on the contents of their home in 2024. Among Inuit who rented their dwelling, 72% reported that they did not have insurance to cover their personal belongings from an extreme weather event or natural disaster. These figures were significantly higher among renters than for homeowners for all three groups (First Nations people living off reserve: 28%; Métis: 27%; and Inuit: 33%). This may be a particular issue for Inuit living inside Inuit Nunangat, where a significantly higher proportion lived in a rented dwelling (82%) compared with Inuit living outside Inuit Nunangat (48%).
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Note to readers
The data in this release are from the third survey of Statistics Canada's Survey Series on First Nations People, Métis and Inuit (SSFNPMI). The SSFNPMI is a new panel series developed as part of the Transformational Approach to Indigenous Data initiative. The survey series aims to fill known data gaps identified by Indigenous and federal government partners and was developed based on an analysis of indicators that align with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Calls for Justice, as well as the Canadian Indicator Framework for Sustainable Development Goals and Canada's Quality of Life Framework.
The SSFNPMI consists of three very short online surveys given to the same individuals over a period of one year. These voluntary surveys are based on a probability panel consisting of 6,206 individuals who agreed to participate in further studies when they responded to the 2022 Indigenous Peoples Survey. They represent the Canadian population aged 15 years and older living off reserve who identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit. The third survey in the SSFNPMI collected data on Indigenous peoples' experiences with emergency preparedness and extreme weather. On the third survey, 818 respondents were First Nations people living off reserve (single identity), 663 were Métis (single identity), 407 were Inuit (single identity), and 37 respondents identified with more than one Indigenous identity group.
For this study, survey weights were adjusted to minimize bias that could arise from panel non-response. Non-response adjustments and calibration using available auxiliary information were applied and are reflected in the survey weights provided with the data file. Despite these adjustments, the high degree of non-response to the panel increases the risk of remaining bias, which may impact estimates produced using the panel data. Users should therefore use caution when interpreting all results of the study. Further information on data quality guidelines and considerations can be obtained in the SSFNPMI user guide.
Single and multiple responses to the Indigenous identity question are used when reporting data for the three Indigenous groups.
This data release is from the third and final survey in the series, which focuses on emergency preparedness and extreme weather. Data from the first survey in the series, which focused on health care access and experiences, were released on November 4, 2024, and data from the second survey in the series were released on January 17, 2025, and focused on well-being and the impacts of rising prices.
Find more statistics on Indigenous Peoples in Canada.
Definitions
Extreme weather event: is an occurrence of weather or environmental conditions that is significantly different from normal weather pattens in a given area. Extreme weather events usually have a negative impact on the safety and security of the public.
Natural disaster: is when weather or environmental conditions affect people to the extent that those involved need assistance dealing with the harm that has occurred to people, and possibly the surrounding property and environment.
Emergency exit plan: describes what the respondent and any other household members will do in case of an emergency.
Self-rated preparedness: respondents were asked to rate their own level of preparedness to an extreme weather event or natural disaster, with the following categories: extremely prepared, very prepared, somewhat prepared, a little bit prepared or not prepared.
Public institutions: respondents were asked about their confidence in four institutions to respond to an extreme weather event or natural disaster. These institutions were police, fire services, emergency medical services and the military.
Products
A new CODR table (41-10-0081-01) is now available from the first panel from the Survey Series on First Nations People, Métis and Inuit. It contains data on selected characteristics of health and health care access.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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