rich 1.0 Action Network https://actionnetwork.org <link href='https://actionnetwork.org/css/style-embed-v3.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' /><script src='https://actionnetwork.org/widgets/v6/form/bankswitch?format=js&source=widget'></script><div id='can-form-area-bankswitch' style='width: 100%'><!-- this div is the target for our HTML insertion --></div> Climate Pledge Collective https://actionnetwork.org/groups/climatepledgecollective https://can2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/share_options/facebook_images/000/231/847/original/Bank_Switch_Small.png Bank Switch is a campaign to pressure Canadian Banks to clean up their act and stop funding the expansion of the fossil fuel industry. We’re asking people to start with a letter or email and give the banks a September 1st deadline. — Hopefully this will trigger the human instinct of ‘loss aversion’ and get things moving within their organization. If the policies your bank announces over the summer are good enough, you also won’t have to deal with the hassle of actually filling out all the forms to move your money. Why switch banks? While university and pension fund divestment campaigns put some pressure on the fossil fuel sector, exploration and expansion will continue as long as oil companies can get banks to underwrite their new projects. The big five Canadian banks are pouring money into oil and gas exploration, including particularly damaging projects like fracking and tar sands development. Since the Paris Agreement was signed, RBC has pumped $160 billion into fossil fuel companies; TD has provided $103 billion; Scotiabank $97.5 billion; Bank of Montreal $82 billion; CIBC $57 billion.  In a comprehensive review of policies on fossil fuel investment and loans TD scored 3 out of 200 possible points; RBC earned 1 point and BMO, CIBC and Scotiabank earned HALF a point.  To read the full report from Banktrack and the Rainforest Action Network click here. Among Canadian Banks only National Bank and Desjardins have even signed the UN Declaration on Responsible Investing which mostly just requires them to track and report how much money they are pouring into financial expansion. ADD YOUR NAME to the list of those participating in the campaign to share and receive updates on responses from banks, to be included in campaign discussions, and to show the growing number of individuals collectively demanding investment toward a sustainable, equitable future. For detailed information, visit https://climatepledgecollective.org/bankswitch. **NOTE: Adding your name does not automatically send an email to your bank. The website link above has templates you can use and ways to send your messages to the appropriate people. https://actionnetwork.org/forms/bankswitch