Toronto – Students across Ontario are calling on all publicly-funded post-secondary institutions to divest from the fossil fuel industry as part of a global movement fighting to prevent irreversible climate change.
“Post-secondary institutions have a responsibility to use their influence to support a transition to a green economy. This includes divesting from fossil fuel companies, which directly contribute to the climate crisis,” said Kayla Weiler, National Representative of the Canadian Federation of Students Ontario.
Post-secondary institutions across Canada heavily invest in the fossil fuel industry and other corporations that engage in a range of harmful environmental practices. Fossil fuel divestment campaigns were created on college and university campuses by students calling on their institutions to replace endowment fund investments in the fossil fuel industry with investments in renewable energy alternatives and promotion of green jobs. Around the world, a growing number of notable post-secondary institutions have committed to divestment from fossil fuels.
“Students are not interested in seeing their tuition dollars used to invest in the fossil fuel industry,” said Weiler. “Declining to divest is a political decision which puts short-term gains over the long-term fate of our planet. Fossil fuels are a bad investment because they irreversibly destroy the environment and contribute to climate change. Post-secondary institutions in Ontario now have an opportunity to be leaders in climate justice by redirecting funds to renewable energy and communities that are disproportionately impacted by this climate crisis.”
For more information on divestment campaigns on campuses across Ontario see: gofossilfree.org/Canada
The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario represents over 350,000 college, undergraduate and graduate students across the province.
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For more information contact:
Ian McRae, Government Relations and Policy Coordinator: 416-925-3825 or 306-852-0128
Kayla Weiler, National Executive Representative: 416-925-3825 or 519-901-0273