Exclusive insurance provider for Canada’s public sector launched

Tributary Public Risk (TPR) has launched what it’s calling Canada’s first public sector-focused insurance provider.

The Canada-domiciled company, based in Nisku, Alta., is now open for business exclusively for public sector clients. It delivers specialized insurance solutions through a licensed broker-based distribution model supported by data-driven underwriting and public sector expertise, TPR says Wednesday in a press release.

TPR was established to address the distinct risk, governance and procurement needs of municipalities, schools, Crown agencies, risk pools/reciprocals, Indigenous communities and non-profit organizations, according to its website.

Its insurance program offerings include owner controlled insurance programs (OCIP) for major construction projects; job order contract insurance programs (JOCIP) for repair, renovation, and maintenance work delivered through job order contracting; and parametric insurance designed to provide rapid, predetermined financial support following defined disaster-related events. TPR also offers property, casualty, auto (fleet), umbrella/excess, environmental, course of construction and wrap-up liability, and cyber liability.

The launch comes amid sustained investment in public infrastructure across Canada.

According to forecasts from ConstructConnect, civil construction is expected to be the primary driver of Canada’s construction market through 2027, growing by approximately 26% and increasing from $32.6 billion in 2025 to an estimated $41 billion by 2027. Civil projects are projected to account for nearly half of all non-residential construction activity nationally, reflecting a growing emphasis on public infrastructure delivery.

At the same time, Canadian public entities are facing increasing financial exposure from extreme weather and natural disasters, TPR says. As the P&C insurance industry knows, insured losses from severe weather events hit a record $9.1 billion in 2024. Even though NatCat insured losses dropped to $2.4 billion last year, Cat losses remain an industry concern.

Backed by procurement group

TPR is backed by Canoe Procurement Group of Canada, a public sector solutions organization representing municipalities and other public entities across Canada. Through this relationship, TPR combines access to insurance markets with governance and oversight aligned to public sector values.

“Public sector organizations face exposures that differ fundamentally from commercial risks,” says Chris Lorne, chief executive officer of TPR. “Tributary was built to serve that reality.

“Our focus is on clear programs, responsive service, and insurance structures that fit how public entities plan, procure, and deliver services.”

Lorne brings 26 years of insurance industry experience to the CEO role, with a career spanning underwriting, broking and executive leadership across both insurers and a global brokerage.

Adds TPR board member Duanne Gladden: “For decades, municipalities and other public organizations have been telling us the same thing: their risks are different, and the insurance market has not always reflected that reality.

“Tributary Public Risk was built from that experience. It is for the public sector, by the public sector, and grounded in a deep understanding of how public organizations operate, plan, and remain accountable to their communities,” says Gladden, who is also executive director and CEO of both Canoe Procurement Group of Canada and Rural Municipalities of Alberta.

TPR says brokers may contact TPR directly regarding submissions and program details. The program is open to all licensed brokerages across Canada, excluding Quebec at this time.

Public sector organizations are encouraged to contact their insurance broker to discuss the applicability of the programs.