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We Didn’t Start the Fire: Effects of a Natural Disaster on Consumers’ Financial Distress

Author

Listed:
  • Anson T. Y. Ho
  • Kim Huynh
  • David T. Jacho-Chávez
  • Geneviève Vallée

Abstract

Global climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of natural disasters. We use detailed consumer credit data to investigate the impact of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, the costliest wildfire disaster in Canadian history, on consumers’ financial stress. We focus on the arrears of insured mortgages because of their important implications for financial institutions and insurers’ business risk and relevant management practices. Our findings suggest that wildfires have caused more mortgage arrears in severely damaged areas, with both economic and statistical significance. For other areas with relatively minor damage, the increase in arrears is small and statistically insignificant.

Suggested Citation

  • Anson T. Y. Ho & Kim Huynh & David T. Jacho-Chávez & Geneviève Vallée, 2023. "We Didn’t Start the Fire: Effects of a Natural Disaster on Consumers’ Financial Distress," Staff Working Papers 23-15, Bank of Canada.
    • Handle: RePEc:bca:bocawp:23-15
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Climate change; Credit and credit aggregates; Econometric and statistical methods; Financial stability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C21 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Cross-Sectional Models; Spatial Models; Treatment Effect Models
    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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