National

Minister won't commit to national flood insurance program in near future

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 22 Apr, 2026 09:18 AM

Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski says she can't promise the government will launch the promised National Flood Insurance Program "in the near future."

The program was first promised by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in 2019 as an affordability measure to help households in flood-prone areas.

The government didn't start working on the program until 2023 and committed to implementing it by the end of 2025.

Olszewski told reporters on Tuesday it's still "top of mind" but it's a complicated program to set up.

Communities in several provinces were under flood warnings Tuesday and areas near Sudbury, Ont., and Gatineau, Que., declared states of emergency.

A 2022 report by Canada's Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation estimated the average annual cost of residential flooding in Canada at $2.97 billion.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Voting on tentative deal ends for Alberta teachers a week before strike deadline

Union president Jason Schilling says teachers aren't taking the vote lightly, as a strike would disrupt classes for over 700,000 students.

Voting on tentative deal ends for Alberta teachers a week before strike deadline

U.S. outdoor school modifies coastal B.C. camping application following outcry

Hugh Braker, a member of the First Nations Summit executive team, was among the First Nations leaders who expressed concerns about the plan. He told The Canadian Press earlier this month that he worried about allowing outsiders to access to the remote areas, citing both environmental and political concerns.

U.S. outdoor school modifies coastal B.C. camping application following outcry

Carney returns to Canada from U.K. trip of meetings and rugby

The Conservatives have been critical of Carney's frequent foreign trips, saying that they aren't generating tangible outcomes and the prime minister should be more focused on domestic issues like crime and affordability.

Carney returns to Canada from U.K. trip of meetings and rugby

'Stand with us': Indigenous artists tapped by big companies for Orange Shirt Day

Non-Indigenous corporations and companies have also collaborated with Indigenous artists to develop T-shirts for the day, with proceeds going to Indigenous organizations.

'Stand with us': Indigenous artists tapped by big companies for Orange Shirt Day

Ottawa lists the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, as India ties deepen

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree announced the designation in a news release issued early Monday morning, saying it will help Canadian security, intelligence and police agencies.

Ottawa lists the Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity, as India ties deepen

Instagram's 'deliberate design choices' make it unsafe for teens despite Meta promises, report says

Meta’s efforts at addressing teen safety and mental health on its platforms have long been met with criticism that the changes don’t go far enough. Now, the report's authors claim Meta has chosen not to take “real steps” to address safety concerns, “opting instead for splashy headlines about new tools for parents and Instagram Teen Accounts for underage users.”