The Green Academy at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, helps students engage with global environmental challenges. The program promotes “shaping the next generation of sustainable leaders” by helping students learn about things like sustainable business and management practices. The Academy also provides resources and funding for integrating sustainability into business and management courses.

However, much of this funding comes from RBC, Canada’s largest financier of fossil fuels and the third largest globally. In fact, since the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2016, RBC has provided more than US $250 billion to fossil-fuel firms, despite committing to net-zero by 2050.

On September 26, RBC announced a $2 million donation to the Green Academy, claiming it would help to “propel a net zero economy through innovation, education, and community.” As climate justice advocates, we recognize this as a clear case of greenwashing. A bank that continues to pour billions into fossil fuel expansion cannot credibly claim to support a sustainable, net-zero future.

The University of Ottawa administration, including the President and Vice-Chancellor who attended the event, is fully aware of RBC’s record but continues to accept funding. This partnership directly contradicts the university’s sustainability commitments and ignores repeated student demands for divestment.

We call on the University of Ottawa to:
1. End all partnerships and funding agreements with RBC, including the Green Academy.
2. Commit to an RBC-Free Campus and reinvest in ethical, sustainable sources of funding.

Sign this petition to demand accountability and ensure that the Green Academy truly reflects the values of climate justice and sustainability. Together, we can make it clear that our education should not be funded by fossil fuels.