Student win: University of Ottawa

The University of Ottawa General Assembly student body vote to close Scotiabank account, move to a credit union and oppose RBC OnCampus branch
In response to student organizing and advocacy by Climate Justice Climatique University of Ottawa, the University of Ottawa Student Union will move their banking to a fossil free credit union. The student union also signed on to support the #RBCOffCampus campaign calling on the university to end their relationship with RBC on campus.
At the UOttawa General Assembly on April 2nd, 2023, the student body voted in support of Climate Justice UOttawa’s resolutions.
Be it resolved that the University of Ottawa Student Union:
- Move their banking to a fossil free credit union while making it clear to the bank the reason for leaving.
- Signs and supports Climate Justice uOttawa’s petition for the University of Ottawa to end their relationship with RBC on our campus
- Release an endorsement statement and posts it on social media.
- Advocate to the University of Ottawa to end their commercial relationship with RBC and to propose a fossil-free credit union alternative to provide financial services to students, namely international students.
- Share a list of resources with steps on social media for students who want to diverge their banking from RBC and the “big 5” institutions, in order to introduce them to fossil free banking options
Ottawa students have been campaigning against RBC’s fossil financing for years. They have hosted numerous protests at the RBC On Campus branch. Their petition, now endorsed by the student union, calls on UOttawa to:
- End their contract with RBC that allows them to have a branch on campus.
- Stop allowing RBC or any of Canada’s big five banks (RBC, Scotiabank, CIBC, TD, and Bank of Montreal), which all invest massively in fossil fuels, from hosting, co-hosting or sponsoring University events.
Show your support by signing the petition!