Toronto, ON – Meridian is proud to announce the launch of its Climate Preparedness Hub, a new resource designed to support its Members and help them prepare for potential climate-related events.
“At Meridian, we believe that climate preparedness is not just about protecting property. It’s about safeguarding people, communities, and futures,” said Jay-Ann Gilfoy, President & CEO Meridian Credit Union. “The Climate Preparedness Hub gives our Members the tools they need to take meaningful action today, so they’re ready for tomorrow’s climate related challenges.”
The Climate Preparedness Hub reflects Meridian’s commitment to a clean, resilient, and equitable future by offering practical tools and resources. The tools found within Meridian’s Climate Preparedness Hub were developed by the University of Waterloo’s Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation. These tools will help Canadians proactively protect their homes and communities from flooding, wildfire, and extreme heat. The hub can be found at https://www.meridiancu.ca/ClimatePreparedness on Meridian’s website. The hub includes easy-to-follow guides and retrofit cost estimates to support informed decision-making.
“Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, and Canadians must prepare for all dimensions of resilience, not as a choice, but as a necessity,” said Dr. Blair Feltmate, Head of the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo. “By providing accessible tools and guidance, Meridian Credit Union is helping people move from reacting in a crisis to proactive climate preparedness.”
The need for these resources is urgent. Research from the Insurance Bureau of Canada and Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ) shows that annual insured losses from catastrophic weather events in Canada have surged from approximately $400-$700 million annually in the early 2000s to an average of $2.8 billion annually over the last 15 years, driven largely by flooding and wildfire damage.
With this launch, Meridian Credit Union is taking a bold step toward building climate resilience while helping Canadians safeguard their homes, families, and futures against the growing risks of extreme weather.
For more information and to access the Climate Preparedness Hub, visit: meridiancu.ca/ClimatePreparedness
About Meridian
Meridian is Ontario’s largest credit union, and one of the largest in Canada. Guided by our purpose, “helping you achieve your best life,” Meridian delivers personal, and wealth financial business solutions to over 380,000 Members. Our bold Meridian for Good strategy is aimed at helping people get access to the money and advice they need; plan for a better future that is clean, resilient, and diverse; and be financially confident. Meridian has one operating subsidiaries: Meridian OneCap Credit Corp (“MOCC”). For more information, please visit: www.meridiancu.ca.
We acknowledge the land on which we operate is the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 with the Mississaugas of the Credit.
About the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation
The Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation (Intact Centre) is an applied research institute at the University of Waterloo. Since its founding in 2015 with a gift from Intact Financial Corporation, Canada’s largest property and casualty insurer, the Intact Centre has developed numerous guidelines to mitigate extreme weather risk. It collaborates with residents, communities, governments, and businesses to identify and reduce risks associated with climate change, such as flooding, wildfire, and extreme heat. The Intact Centre is frequently quoted in the media, consistently emphasizing the urgent need to address the impacts of climate change and extreme weather. For more information, please visit our website: Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation.
Media contact:
Erick Bauer, Meridian Credit Union
[email protected]; 416-587-4185