(OTTAWA) – The Green Party of Canada celebrates the actions of Université Laval to commit to divest from all fossil fuel holdings, and is encouraging all Canadian universities, pension funds and other institutional investors to do the same.

“With this action, Laval becomes the first Canadian university to take responsible action to switch its endowment fund investments in fossil energy to other types of investments, such as renewable energy,” said Elizabeth May, Leader of the Green Party of Canada (MP, Saanich-Gulf Islands). “On university campuses across Canada, student and faculty associations are standing up for real climate action, and encouraging their university boards to divest from fossil fuel holdings. This peaceful action is helping spur us towards a clean-energy future.”

Richard Zurawski, GPC Climate Critic, said: “Amid the news of torrid heat repeat in Australia, record warmth in the Arctic, and the dwindling, fracturing Antarctic ice, it is heartening to hear that climate change mitigation has not completely fallen on deaf ears. There are still some who believe that we can make a dent in ever-rising global thermostat. Kudos to the Université Laval for divesting themselves of fossil fuels, sending a loud and clear message that our actions can and will make a difference.

“The surest way to turn down the heat is though squeezing the pocket books of fossil fuel interests and divesting, while at the same time investing in clean, green and future-thinking energy,” Mr. Zurawski said.

Others that have committed to full fossil fuel divestment in their holdings include the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, Canadian Medical Association, Council of Canadians, University of Glasgow, University of Hawaii, and municipalities that include Madison, WI; Oakland, CA; Minneapolis, MN; and Oslo, Norway. Find a more complete list here.

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For additional information or to arrange an interview, contact:

Dan Palmer

Press Secretary | Attaché de presse

dan.palmer@greenparty.ca

m: (613) 614-4916