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.
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Climate Change Adaptation Project
As a precursor to the Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation (Intact Centre), the University of Waterloo and Intact Financial Corporation engaged in work (since 2010), and with the support of about 100 prominent stakeholders, to identify priority areas of climate change adaptation focus for Canada.
This work was led through the Climate Change Adaptation Project (Canada), which in 2012 released the report Climate Change Adaptation: A Priorities Plan for Canada.
The establishment of the Intact Centre was made possible through the leadership, vision, and generosity of Intact Financial Corporation, a long-time partner and donor to the University of Waterloo particularly supporting climate adaptation. In November 2015, Intact announced a gift directed in support of the centre’s mission and goals.
University of Waterloo
In just half a century, the University of Waterloo, located at the heart of Canada’s technology hub, has become one of Canada’s leading comprehensive universities with 35,000 full- and part-time students in undergraduate and graduate programs. A globally focused institution, celebrated as Canada’s most innovative university for 24 consecutive years, Waterloo is home to the world’s largest post-secondary co-operative education program and encourages enterprising partnerships in learning, research and discovery. In the next decade, the university is committed to building a better future for Canada and the world by championing innovation and collaboration to create solutions relevant to the needs of today and tomorrow. The University of Waterloo is also a national hub for climate change scholarship and home to North America’s first graduate program in climate change.
Intact Financial Corporation
Intact Financial Corporation (TSX: IFC) is the largest provider of property and casualty (P&C) insurance in Canada, a leading Specialty lines insurer with international expertise and a leader in Commercial lines in the UK and Ireland. Intact’s business has grown organically and through acquisitions to over $22 billion of total annual operating direct premiums written. In Canada, Intact distributes insurance under the Intact Insurance brand through agencies and a wide network of brokers, including its wholly-owned subsidiary BrokerLink, and directly to consumers through belairdirect. Intact also provides affinity insurance solutions through affinity groups, travel insurance, as well as exclusive and tailored offerings through Intact Prestige. In the US, Intact Insurance Specialty Solutions provides a range of specialty insurance products and services through independent agencies, regional and national brokers, and wholesalers and managing general agencies. Across the U.K., Ireland, and Europe, Intact provides personal, commercial and/or specialty insurance solutions through the RSA, 123.ie, NIG and FarmWeb brands.