1. Take Climate Action
  2. With your bank
  3. Talk to your bank manager

Talk to your bank manager

Frustrated with your bank using your money to fund climate change and projects that violate Indigenous rights? Try talking to your bank manager to share your concerns.

Many of us trust RBC, BMO, TD, CIBC and Scotiabank with our savings and investment plans, but these banks are all among the top 20 funders of fossil fuels in the world, constructing projects that violate Indigenous sovereignty and ensure our emissions keep going up. 

People across the country are starting to question banks. You can too. Here are some tips for talking with your branch manager about this important issue.

  1. Explain how their bank is funding the climate crisis and violating Indigenous sovereignty. Here are some stats about banks' fossil fuel financing and info about the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline and TransMountain Pipeline, both of which have not received free, prior and informed consent from affected Indigenous communities.  

  2. Stress why this is important to you as a parent/grandparent trying to support kids whose future will be impacted by the climate crisis. 

  3. Ask them what the bank is doing about this issue. Here are some sample questions.

    • How are they planning to cut emissions?

    • When will they reduce their funding to oil and gas companies?

    • Do they have any fossil-free accounts? What is the full list of companies included? (Sometimes, these funds include natural gas companies or other fossil fuels hidden in the fine print). 

  4. Ask for your message to be passed along to higher management. Branch employees don’t have much say over funding decisions, but they can pass along the message that more customers are demanding they align with climate targets.

  5. Done? Take a deep breath and pat yourself on the back! It’s hard to have difficult conversations. 

  6. How did it go and what did you learn? Let us know in this feedback form!

  7. Follow-up! If they couldn’t answer your questions, ask them to get more information and set up another meeting.
     

You can also bring this letter along as a physical copy of your concerns and demands, and edit it to reflect your perspective.



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