Red River Basin Disaster Information Network
On-Line Workshop
May 4, 2000 -- 12:00 Noon CST

The Role of the Insurance Industry in Disaster Mitigation
A Canadian Perspective

Alan W. Pang
Managing Director
Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction

Online Transcript
Download Transcript (MS Word File)
Text Transcript
Slides: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) was established in 1998. It is an initiative of the insurance community to reduce the loss of life and property caused by severe weather and earthquakes. ICLR partners with other interested organizations to identify and champion sustained actions that improve society's capacity to adapt to, anticipate, mitigate, withstand and recover from natural disasters.

Over the longer-term, the Institute will focus on four key result areas:

• Build safer communities
• Establish safety partnerships
• Enhance industry awareness
• Promote consumer awareness

Alan provided information regarding previous and planned activities of the ICLR, and discussed industry proposals for a 'National Mitigation Strategy" for Canada. Industry representatives met with the House of Commons Finance Committee on May 3, and related documents are linked below.

5/2/00 Announcement re discussion with House Finance Committee
5/3/00 Remarks of George Anderson before the Committee
5/4/00 Announcement in follow up

In addition, one of the topics discussed was the range of hazards across Canada. For an excellent map, see Natural Resources Canada's National Atlas of Canada Online, which permits the user to specify the hazard to be viewed, as well as other issues of concern.

Download ICLR Fact Sheet and Brochure (71K pdf file)
Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) Home
IBC's Cutting the Cost of Catastrophe FAQ
IBC's A National Mitigation Strategy

About Alan Pang
Alan Pang joined the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction as the full-time Managing Director in May 1998. Alan is on secondment from his position as Vice President of Aon Re Canada. He has been using his extensive reinsurance brokering experience to develop applied research projects to assess the impact of severe weather and earthquakes on Canadians. He has helped formulate Canada's National Mitigation Policy (under review) and the insurance industry's Natural Disaster Reduction Plan. Alan was born and educated in the City of Winnipeg.

apang@iclr.org
(416) 362-2031, ext. 342