Fort McMurray’s legacy: a warning for Ottawa as climate-driven disasters continue to escalate

Canada remains the only G7 country that lacks a national disaster relief agency. With the escalating frequency and severity of major disasters, how long can Canadians wait?

Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski, pictured on the Hill, has acknowledged the need for a national disaster relief agency, writes Susan Penwarden. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY SUSAN PENWARDEN

April 23, 2026

A decade has passed since the worst wildfire in Canada’s history tragically struck the Alberta town of Fort McMurray. As we mark the anniversary of that devastating disaster, we must ask ourselves: have we learned the lessons of that experience? Have we done enough to impr...

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