Canadian Universities: Divest from Fossil Fuels
“Canada’s largest group of students calling for universities and colleges to divest from fossil fuels. This coalition of 30 groups from institutions across Canada are demanding that universities and colleges recognize the threat the climate crisis poses to the futures of their students and address that threat by divesting fully from the fossil fuel industry.
Over the past few years, universities all over Canada such as University of Guelph and University of British Columbia have committed to full or partial divestment.
Contact divestcanada@gmail.com.
- Commit immediately to fully divesting from companies involved in the extraction, processing and transportation of fossil fuels, and ensure all funds are re-allocated by 2025. Initiate divestment campaigns from other harmful industries, including police foundations, private prisons, arms manufacturers, and any corporation that, through their operations, violate the rights of Indigenous peoples to free, prior, and informed consent, as outlined in the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
- Recognize that the incorporation of environmental, social, and governance factors (ESG), as well as the simple reduction of the “carbon intensity” of an institution’s investment portfolio is an illegitimate alternative to full divestment. Educational institutions must supplement these insufficient responsible investing practices with full divestment from fossil fuel companies.
- Take meaningful leadership in the adoption of a Canadian Just Recovery by investing at least 5% of investment funds in community projects that advance racial, economic, environmental and social justice.” – Divest Canada Coalition