Vanessa Big Eagle is a band councilor who manages the homes of the Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation.
“We’re used to any type of extreme weather, but the winds that happened in May were crazy," she said.
The weather damaged 23 of the 54 homes in her community, 160 kilometres southeast of Regina. Wind blew off much of the roof of her own house, making it the most damaged, Big Eagle said.
She’s been filing insurance claims for the homes, which are managed by the First Nation. Most are still damaged, forcing one family to stay in a hotel, she said.
“As we go year to year to year now, is it expected now? Is it something we should have budgeted?”
Severe weather is leading to record-breaking amounts of insured losses in Saskatchewan, according to new data, which could lead to higher insurance rates.
According to current data from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc., last year Saskatchewan had the highest dollar amount of insured losses from large weather events — $450 million — in any year since the firm started collecting data in 2008.
Land of stormy skies: Sask. almost doubles its average tornado number
The extreme winds in June caused the most insured loss of any event recorded in the province — $240 million — followed by the northern wildfires last summer.
Laura Twidle, president and CEO of Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc., said the last two years stand out.
Fewer, smaller wildfires in Sask. so far this year compared to 2025: SPSA
“Fires are covered, and it was such a severe year. Last year definitely was the first time we've seen that from Saskatchewan, where it's had such a significant insured loss,” Twidle said.
Jason Thistlethwaite, a professor at the University of Waterloo's School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, said even people whose property remains unscathed could be affected.
“Insurers are a business. They're going to look to recoup those losses, and the one way they're going to do that is through higher premiums and more restrictive coverage," he said.
Canada should focus more on preventing property damage, as opposed to recouping losses after the fact, Thistlethwaite said.