[DizzyEdge]

I've often wondered what the worst disaster in Calgary's history was, leading to the greatest loss of life, and/or greatest dollar loss adjusted for inflation.
Anyone have any ideas?

[mersar]

Not sure where it fits, but I believe I read somewhere that pretty much all of the old china town burned down near the turn of the last century following which they moved it to the north side of the CPR tracks

[Jimby]

for dollar amounts, Calgary hailstorms have been some of the most expensive disasters in Canadian history


http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/environment/naturalhazards/naturalhazards1999/majorhailstorms/hailstorms_stats_new.html

[Slug]

Yep but the cloud seeding will take care of that ever happening again. Albeit it just makes the flash flooding problem worse but not so many people have flood insurance so the government can pay for it.

[Grendel]

In terms of dollar losses, I know a lot of old-time Calgarians who would probably argue that the NEP was the greatest disaster to befall Calgary.

[freeweed]

The Calgary hailstorm in 1991 was by far the worst. At the time it was the worst insurable natural disaster in Canadian history (beating out the Edmonton tornado), but that crown was eventually taken by things such as the Quebec ice storm of the late 90s.

Any time a longtime Calgarian makes some comment about "acts of god" being excluded from insurance coverage, I just ask them if they think Ralph made the hail. :haha:

[MichaelS]

Would the ice storm in Quebec be a bigger disaster than any of the Red River floods?

[Regulator75]

This past winter. Yikes... ;)

[freeweed]

Would the ice storm in Quebec be a bigger disaster than any of the Red River floods?

I don't believe so, but that's why I used the weasel word "insurable". Officially it was much larger in terms of dollar value.

You never really get a good estimate of non-insurable (ie: government paid) disasters. The government usually has an interest in either inflating or deflating the cost, depending on the particular disaster, political climate, popular opinion... plus for any given situation the government has a habit of hiding expenses under other programs. Anything to help the next election, or keep a pet project going, or some other pork-type thing. As opposed to insurance companies that can tell you to the penny exactly how much money was paid out for a given storm.

Also, because so much is not "covered" by government "insurance" - a LOT of things just got thrown out after 1997 in Manitoba. Whereas in Quebec, virtually everything was insured and was therefore included in the calculations.

Lastly, insurance pays a fair replacement value, often with new goods. Flood payments from the government amount to pennies on the dollar for lots of things.

So officially, yes. But those of us who've worked risk management believe otherwise.

[You Need A Thneed]

The September 7, 1991 Hailstorm is the biggest in terms of insured dollars. I don't know if there's something that beats it when adjusted for inflation.

For those who weren't in Calgary back then, virtually every single house in the NE (where the storm hit the worst) got new siding and shingles. My parents' house is the only one in the immediate area around it that didn't, and that's only because both the siding and shingles had been replaced less than a year before, and were still pretty flexible. Their new siding was also vinyl, which absorbed some of the hail, whereas almost every other house still had metal siding back then, and became full of dents.

I'm going to remember that storm for a long time.

[wild wild west]

This past winter. Yikes... ;)


Indeed! And spring too...

[McMahon]

The Great Fire of 1886 may be a contender - http://www.google.ca/search?q=calgary+1886+fire&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

14 buildings destroyed (in a small town) and over $100,000 in damage (which would have been a huge amount back then), but no lives lost.

[mersar]

Yeah, that would have been pretty signficant at the time.

It's interesting to see the city actually has put up a decade by decade history of the CFD, which is online here (http://www.calgary.ca/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_766_240_0_43/http%3B/content.calgary.ca/CCA/City+Hall/About+Calgary/History/Calgary+Fire+Department+History/History.htm).

[Distill3d]

Hub Oil in 1999 and the fire at the Statesman project in Erlton in 2002 come to mind as big disasters in Calgary history.

[Bigtime]

What about all the flooding and rain a few years back in June? That was pretty significant, not sure about the dollar amounts involved though.

[You Need A Thneed]

What about all the flooding and rain a few years back in June? That was pretty significant, not sure about the dollar amounts involved though.

Certainly significant, but when you think about it, it didn't affect a whole lot of area within the city. Also, it's pretty much not insurable damage.

[Bigtime]

I knew it wouldn't be the largest, but thought it warranted a mention.

[DizzyEdge]

The Great Fire of 1886 may be a contender - http://www.google.ca/search?q=calgary+1886+fire&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

14 buildings destroyed (in a small town) and over $100,000 in damage (which would have been a huge amount back then), but no lives lost.

Oddly, various inflation calculators indicate $100,000 would be about 2-2 1/2 million in today's dollars. Of course I'm sure the property value has increased many thousands of percent since then so inflation is only part of it.

[M II A II R II K]

http://media.metronews.topscms.com/images/53/8f/385c87894c31884b0728df503c05.jpeg




J/K!!!!

[O-tacular]

Haha!

I remember maybe 4 years ago there was a crazy hail storm that was centered over Bonavista and Canyon Meadows. At one point I waded out into the street where the hail / water actually came up to my knees to move my car so it wouldn't get flooded.

I also recall some insane flash flood rain thunderstorms appearing out of nowhere when I was driving deerfoot. YOu know it's bad when even with your windshield wipers on full tilt you can;t see out your windows.

[mr.steevo]

I would argue that the worst Calgary disaster will be the end of oil.

s.

[Ramsayfarian]

The Flames 08-09.

[frinkprof]

The Flames 96/97 - 02/03.
Fixed that for you.

[Innersoul1]

Oscar!

[Distill3d]

http://media.metronews.topscms.com/images/53/8f/385c87894c31884b0728df503c05.jpeg




J/K!!!!

you sure its not this guy?
http://www.ctv.ca/mini/junos2008/images/story/230_davebronconnier.jpg


or even perhaps this guy?
http://www.maxpower.ca/wp-content/uploads/2006/01/harper_cowboy.jpg

[freeweed]

Yeah, I hate that Max Power too. Such a pompous yellow ass.

Hotlinking IS cool, that's how the Internet works you dumbass. Max Power can go suck a shrew.

PS: I'd agree with Manning - he set the public perception of Alberta back by 40 years or more. To this day people in Ontario and parts east STILL think Alberta has a high religious bend (the province is actually less religious than Ontario) and that we're all following blue laws and such from the 1930s (Alberta has far looser laws on Sunday shopping and liquor sales than just about everywhere in the country).

[M II A II R II K]

For me he was more comical with that voice and stuff.

I know they have those parody shows but at one time Canadian politics was pretty much funny to start off with, with a Prime Minister that speaks funny and a leader of the opposition (Manning) who also speaks funny, and characters like Bouchard in the mix.




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