What Are the Real Risks Where You Live in Quebec? A Home Checkup

In Quebec, every season brings its share of surprises. Freezing rain in April that bends branches onto power lines, a spring flood that rises faster than expected, a summer when wildfire smoke veils the sky for days, a heat wave that turns an apartment into an oven. None of this needs to be dramatized: these are known realities that come back year after year.

The problem is that most preparedness lists are generic. They suggest buying a little of everything, without considering where you live. Yet a family in a Montreal condo and a family with a well in the Laurentians have completely different priorities.

This article offers a simple approach: identify the risks that are actually likely where you live, walk through your home, then decide what to buy first. For a complete method covering every type of disaster, The Ultimate Emergency Preparedness Guide goes through each of these steps in detail.

Step 1: Name the likely disasters in your region

Before buying anything, take ten minutes to list the events that have already affected your area.

• Ice storms and winter storms: is your neighbourhood heavily wooded? Have you ever had an outage lasting more than 24 hours?
• Extended outages: does your heating depend entirely on electricity? Do you have a well whose pump stops without power?
• Flooding and heavy rain: do you live near a river or stream? Has your street ever had sewer backups?
• Wildfires and smoke: is your home near the forest? Even far from the flames, could smoke get into your home?
• High winds: do you have large trees near the house, or outdoor objects that could be blown away?
• Extreme heat: is your home poorly ventilated, without air conditioning? Do seniors or young children live there?

Then sort these risks into three categories: already happened here, possible and unlikely. This simple sorting will guide everything else.

Check whether your property is in a flood zone

Don't rely on intuition alone. The Quebec government recommends checking whether your home is in a risk area covered by municipal regulations, and a property verification tool on Québec.ca tells you whether an address is in a flood zone or in a watercourse's mobility zone. You'll find the official links on the Prepare for flooding page. If you live near a river, also keep an eye on water levels in spring; along the St. Lawrence, check the tide tables.

Step 2: Walk through the basement

The basement is often the most vulnerable room in the house, and the one we visit least. Head down with a pencil and check what applies.

• ☐ I know whether I have a backwater valve, and I've had it inspected.
• ☐ I know how to plug the floor drain if water rises.
• ☐ My sump pump works, and I've thought about what happens if the power goes out during a heavy rain.
• ☐ Important documents and keepsakes aren't stored on the floor.
• ☐ Chemicals and used oils are stored up high, out of children's reach.
• ☐ I know where the electrical panel and the gas entry are, if applicable.

Remember one official instruction: if water starts coming into the basement, don't touch anything and call Hydro-Québec at 1 800 790-2424 to have the power cut. If the gas has been shut off, a specialist must turn it back on.

Step 3: Backup heating and outages

A summer outage is an inconvenience. An outage lasting several days in January is another story. Ask yourself honestly: if the power goes out for three days in the middle of winter, how will you keep at least one room at an acceptable temperature? A wood stove, a fireplace, an appliance approved for indoor use, or a plan to go to family or to a shelter opened by the municipality: every home has its own answer.

• Never use indoors charcoal or propane barbecues, camping stoves or fuel-burning space heaters not designed for indoor use: they give off carbon monoxide.
• If you're counting on a wood fireplace or a gas appliance, install a carbon monoxide alarm and stock up on fuel.
• Have any non-electric heating system inspected and cleaned every year.
• A generator goes outside, away from doors and windows, with CSA-approved extension cords. Let it cool down before refuelling.

As for food, keep your freezer well stocked: according to government guidelines, a full freezer can keep food for up to 48 hours if you limit how often you open it.

A complete plan, disaster by disaster

Ice storms, floods, wildfires, heat: The Ultimate Emergency Preparedness Guide ($17.99) helps you adapt your preparedness to your home and your region.

Step 4: Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

This is probably the most worthwhile check in the whole house.

Smoke alarms

• ☐ One alarm on every floor, including the basement, near the bedrooms and in every room where someone sleeps.
• ☐ I test it every month with the test button.
• ☐ I've checked the manufacturing date: it must be replaced every 10 years from that date.
• ☐ I change the batteries when it chirps and when I move in.

Carbon monoxide alarms

If you have a fuel-burning appliance (wood stove, fireplace, gas or oil furnace or water heater) or an attached garage, a CO alarm is essential. This gas is invisible and odourless.

• ☐ A CO alarm on every floor, near the bedrooms and near the door to the attached garage.
• ☐ None within 2 metres of a fuel-burning appliance, or in the kitchen or bathroom.
• ☐ I test it every month and replace it according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

If the CO alarm goes off, get out immediately, dial 911 and wait for a firefighter's go-ahead before going back in. Details are on Québec.ca's Fire safety equipment for the home page.

Step 5: Water, before and during a crisis

Water is often the first need to become critical, and the easiest to prepare for. The government recommends an emergency kit to get through three days at home, and drinking water is part of it.

• ☐ I have a supply of drinking water for each family member, pets included.
• ☐ I've written the date on the containers and I replace them regularly.
• ☐ If I have a well, I know it's best to avoid using its water during an outage, because the risk of contamination increases.
• ☐ I know where the main water shut-off valve is and how to close it.

Step 6: Reread your home insurance

According to Québec.ca, sewer backups, water seeping in through the ground and rivers overflowing are generally not covered by basic home insurance. An endorsement can, however, add this protection. Call your insurer or broker with these questions:

• ☐ Am I covered for sewer backup?
• ☐ Do I have coverage for surface water or overland flooding?
• ☐ Are my additional living expenses covered if I have to leave my home?
• ☐ Is food loss during an extended outage covered?

A practical tip: slowly film each room with your phone, closets open, and keep the video online. Those few minutes will make any future claim much simpler.

Step 7: Extreme heat and smoke

We naturally think of the cold, but heat deserves just as much attention. Seniors, people with a chronic illness, babies, young children and people taking certain medications are more at risk.

• ☐ I know the nearest cool place (basement, library, air-conditioned space opened by the municipality).
• ☐ I plan to spend at least two hours a day in a cool place during a heat wave, as the authorities recommend.
• ☐ I stay in touch with elderly or isolated loved ones.
• ☐ For wildfire smoke, I've chosen a room I can keep with the windows closed.

If someone around you gets worse, call Info-Santé 811 (health line). In an emergency, dial 911.

Step 8: Prioritize your purchases without buying everything

You now have your risks sorted and a series of boxes checked or not. The idea isn't to fill the garage, but to close the most important gaps first.

A good rule: don't buy anything for an "unlikely" risk until your "already happened here" risks are covered. And favour items that serve in several scenarios: a headlamp and a battery-powered radio are just as useful in an ice storm as in an evacuation.

To build your family plan, our free video course (18 short lessons, 35 minutes) is currently available in French only. Join the list to be notified when the English version launches. And to gather the basic tools, The Essentials bundle brings together the 72-Hour Family Emergency Plan, The Ultimate Emergency Preparedness Guide and Eating When Everything Stops for $29.99 instead of $44.97.

Frequently asked questions

I'm a tenant. Does this checkup apply to me?

Yes, almost entirely. You can check your alarms, prepare your water supply, protect your belongings and review your own tenant insurance. Report any missing or faulty alarm to your landlord.

How often should I redo this walk-through?

Once a year, for example in the fall, is a good rhythm. Also redo it after a move, renovations or the arrival of a new family member.

Should I buy a generator?

Not necessarily. If you've lived through long outages, or if a well or sump pump is essential in your home, it can be a good investment. Otherwise, start with the basic priorities.

How do I know if an alert affects my area?

Follow your municipality and Urgence Québec, and sign up for the citizen alert service if one is offered. The government also recommends the Info-pannes (Hydro-Québec outage info), Québec 511 and MétéoCAN apps.

In conclusion: a targeted plan rather than a packed basement

Preparing for emergencies doesn't mean buying everything. It means knowing your home, knowing your region and making a few informed choices. In one weekend, you can name your risks, check your alarms, protect your basement, reread your insurance and draw up a realistic shopping list.

To go further, The Ultimate Emergency Preparedness Guide gives you the complete method. And to cover every scenario at once, the Family Fortress Collection brings together all 9 guides of the 2027 Edition for $49.99 instead of $116.91. All our guides are available in English or French.