University students join #RBCOffCampus protests

University students from twelve institutions—including Lakehead University, the University of British Columbia Okanagan, and University of Windsor—recently participated in protests against RBC’s presence on campus. A recent report placed RBC as the fifth largest funder of fossil fuels in the world, according to CBC, and the protesters are calling on the bank to defund the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline; divest from fossil fuel expansion immediately; phase out fossil fuel financing by 2040; and respect the consent of Indigenous peoples. Students told CBC and Kelowna Capital News that they would like to see their institutions take a stand against RBC. In a statement released to media, RBC states that it is committed to achieving net-zero lending by 2050.