On Shaky Ground

Earthquake map | BCBusiness

In honour of the Great B.C. Shakeout annual earthquake preparation drills, we present our B.C. seismic risk map. Back in August, we tapped data from the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction to plot the risk by postal code

In our August 2013 issue, we addressed the potential human and economic devastation the Big One would wreak on B.C. In addition to a lengthy recovery period, our research indicated that almost half of small businesses would fail. 

So, which zones are most at risk?

ABOUT THIS MAP

In 2003, the Institute launched a study to assess the risk of earthquake damage across Canada. A series of earthquake hazard maps was developed principally for insurers, “based on an analysis of the probability of expected loss from all possible earthquake sources and magnitudes,” according to the Institute. “Postal codes are grouped into Hazard Zones with similar relative levels of expected loss.”

Download the full PDF of the map.