Most Canadians Aren’t Ready for a Disaster — Only 1-in-4 Have an Emergency Kit

Canadians prioritize pets, phones, and cash when evacuating disasters: First Onsite survey

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, May 05, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As wildfires, floods, and extreme storms intensify across Canada, a new survey from First Onsite Property Restoration finds that most people are not ready for them. Just over one in four Canadians (28 per cent) have an emergency kit prepared—even as awareness of climate-driven risk has never been higher.

Released during Emergency Preparedness Week (May 3–9), the findings arrive as Public Safety Canada and partners are calling on Canadians to “Be Prepared and Know Your Risks.”

The survey findings highlight a clear disconnect between awareness and action. Three quarters of Canadians (75 per cent) say they know where to find official weather emergency information and alerts. Yet only 38 per cent feel they are prepared for a weather-related emergency.

The gap is perhaps sharpest when it comes to basic preparedness. Just 36 per cent of Canadians - homeowners and businesses alike - know their local evacuation routes. This is striking for a country that has watched wildfires, floods, and major storms reshape communities in recent years. Two thirds of Canadians (67 per cent) believe all levels of government could be doing more on disaster preparedness, while only 44 per cent feel confident in their local authorities' disaster response.

"The steps taken before a catastrophic event can define the recovery. An emergency kit, a plan, knowing your route - these are not dramatic measures. They are what separates preparedness from panic," said Jim Mandeville, SVP, First Onsite Property Restoration.

Pets, phones, and cash: What Canadians would grab on the way out
When Canadians and business owners were asked what they would take if they had to flee, the answers revealed their true priorities. Pets top the list at 51 per cent, followed by phones and laptops at 50 per cent, cash and credit cards at 47 per cent, and important documents and medication at 42 per cent each. After the top five, the numbers drop off steeply - emergency go-bags, food, and first aid kits rank well below the instinctive grabs of pets, phones, and wallets.

The prominence of phones reflects how central connectivity plays a role in modern emergency response. A charged device is no longer a convenience - it is a lifeline. And while phones have become the lifeline families rely on when everything else breaks down, that instinct is far more effective when people already have a plan.

“Know your key contacts before a disaster strikes - local emergency services, your insurance provider or broker, your utility companies, and a trusted restoration provider. In the chaos of a weather-related catastrophe, finding those numbers should be the last thing on your mind,” said Mandeville.

Preparedness by the numbers: Full survey results by province

Preparedness Measures & Experiences	Canada		B.C.		AB		MB/SK		ON		QC		ATL
Believe they are prepared for a weather-related emergency	38	%	36	%	46	%	52	%	37	%	31	%	53	%
Know who to contact in a property/weather emergency	60	%	58	%	65	%	74	%	59	%	56	%	66	%
Know where to find official weather emergency info/alerts	75	%	70	%	81	%	89	%	79	%	62	%	85	%
Know evacuation routes in their area	36	%	43	%	49	%	42	%	33	%	24	%	53	%
Have an emergency kit prepared	28	%	35	%	31	%	36	%	28	%	19	%	30	%
Think government can better prepare for floods, fires, or storms	67	%	68	%	64	%	62	%	65	%	71	%	72	%
Feel confident in local authorities’ disaster response	44	%	41	%	46	%	51	%	42	%	43	%	59	%

Source: First Onsite Weather and Property Survey, Angus Reid Forum, 2026. n=1,505.

Evacuation priorities: What Canadians would grab first

Top Items Canadians Would Take During an Evacuation	Canada		B.C.		AB		MB/SK		ON		QC		ATL
1. Pets	51	%	51	%	50	%	48	%	52	%	52	%	47	%
2. Personal communication devices (phones/laptops)	50	%	49	%	53	%	59	%	50	%	51	%	39	%
3. Cash / credit cards	47	%	42	%	44	%	49	%	47	%	47	%	52	%
4. Important documents	42	%	43	%	48	%	43	%	40	%	41	%	49	%
5. Medication	42	%	37	%	42	%	40	%	43	%	42	%	47	%

Source: First Onsite Weather and Property Survey, Angus Reid Forum, 2026. n=1,505.

Tools for preparedness
Emergency Preparedness Week is a timely reminder that resilience is built before a crisis, not during one. To help Canadians and businesses close the gap between awareness and action, First Onsite offers free resources, including:

A disaster supply kit checklist: Includes must-have items like food, water, medications, first aid supplies, documents, and special needs items.
A small-business disaster recovery checklist: Covers everything from data backup and communications to employee safety protocols.

About the First Onsite Weather and Property Survey
These findings are from a survey conducted by First Onsite Property Restoration from February 20th to February 23rd, 2026, among a representative sample of 1505 online adult Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About First Onsite: North America’s Trusted Leader in Property Restoration
First Onsite Property Restoration is one of the largest and fastest-growing emergency response planning, mitigation, and reconstruction service providers in North America. First Onsite employs over 2,500 team members and operates from more than 100 locations across Canada and the U.S. With a culture focused on harnessing the human power of its team members and a commitment to doing what’s right, the First Onsite team helps clients restore, rebuild, and rise. First Onsite is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation. For more information, go to firstonsite.ca or follow First Onsite on LinkedIn.

PRESS CONTACT
Sierra LeBlanc
MAVERICK Public Relations
647-405-2196
sierra@wearemaverick.com

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