SASKATOON — SGI president and CEO Penny McCune assured Saskatchewan residents in communities gravely affected by last year’s devastating wildfires that they can count on the Crown insurer’s support, even after private insurers decided to pull back their services from high-risk areas in the north.
McCune, who will be retiring in October after 41 years of service with SGI, addressed concerns raised by those whose homes and livelihoods were burned down during the 2025 northern wildfires about the availability of insurance to secure their property.
“There are other competitors that are removing themselves from the wildfire areas. They see it as a great risk. We won't do that to support the people of Saskatchewan,” said McCune, who emphasized SGI’s role as a provincially owned insurer.
While some insurers have withdrawn coverage in wildfire-prone regions, she said SGI will continue to support Saskatchewan communities and help residents recover after disasters, pointing to the Crown corporation’s involvement in recovery efforts following the disaster at Denare Beach.
McCune made her comments on Tuesday, June 23, after the release of the Crown Investments Corporation’s annual reports at the Courtyard by Marriott, as SGI faced rising claims costs following several weather events, including a recent hailstorm and tornado, and other challenges as an insurer.
She added that she and SGI’s staff were heavily involved in helping northern residents recover after last year’s wildfires, particularly in Denare Beach, one of the areas hardest hit by the disaster, as their efforts extended beyond serving only its own policyholders.
“I'm really proud of my team. They spent a lot of time up in Denare Beach in particular and have really played an important role in coordinating insurers and getting people back on their feet. We didn't just go in and look after our customers; we looked after everyone,” added McCune.
She described a co-ordinated recovery effort involving multiple insurers and agencies, and one year after the disastrous fires, she was encouraged by the rebuilding progress she witnessed during a recent visit to the community.
“I was just there for the first anniversary of the fire and was really pleased to see that there are a lot of basements in place and homes already in place. To see that in a year, that's pretty significant. We intend to continue to support northern Saskatchewan,” said McCune.
