RBC Blue Water Project to donate $200,000 to Lake Ontario Waterkeeper
TORONTO, September 6, 2008 — RBC will later today make a donation of $200,000 to the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper (LOW) to fund its ongoing work for community-based water quality projects. RBC President and CEO Gordon Nixon will present the donation on behalf of the RBC Blue Water Project to Gord Downie, LOW Trustee and lead singer for The Tragically Hip, at “blue,†a star-studded gala that recognizes the contributions of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the areas of water stewardship and conservation.
“RBC is proud to support the Lake Ontario Waterkeeper's activities, which contribute to a culture of water stewardship and ensure our watersheds will continue to be safe as a source of drinking water, as a home for wildlife, and as a place for us all to enjoy,†Nixon said.
Founded in 2001, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper is part of the Waterkeeper Alliance and fulfills its mission by educating the public about Lake Ontario and the Great Lakes Basin and by conducting research and public education activities on behalf of the watershed. Its goal is to restore and protect Lake Ontario's natural resources, as well as contribute to its aesthetic, social recreational and economic values. Lake Ontario Waterkeeper regards the ability to safely swim, drink and fish in local waterways as hallmarks of clean water.
“This is an important day for Lake Ontario Waterkeeper,†said Mark Mattson, President & Waterkeeper, Lake Ontario Waterkeeper. “RBC's support brings our communities one step closer to a restored Lake Ontario, so we can all safely swim, drink and fish its blue waters.â€
“RBC is doing important work, dedicating funds to grassroots watershed protection,†said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Chairman of Waterkeeper Alliance. “This is the kind of leadership we need to protect our environment and to sustain economic growth for generations.â€
The Waterkeeper Alliance is an international grassroots alliance dedicated to winning back waterways in communities around the globe. Waterkeeper Alliance connects and supports local Waterkeeper programs to provide a voice for waterways and their communities worldwide.
The RBC Blue Water Project is a wide-ranging, multi-year program to help foster a culture of water stewardship in Canada and abroad, so that people have clean fresh water today and tomorrow. The RBC Blue Water Project, announced in late 2007, is a 10-year, $50 million grant program, focused on watershed protection and clean drinking water, and was inaugurated by a $10 million commitment to the ONE DROP Foundation, established by Cirque du Soleil founder, Guy Laliberté. The company will announce additional grants under the RBC Blue Water Project later in September.
About RBC in the Community
RBC is recognized among the world's financial, social and environmental leaders. In 2007, the company released the RBC Environmental Blueprint, outlining its environmental priorities and objectives. RBC is one of Canada's “Best 50 Corporate Citizens 2008†and is included on the Dow Jones World and North American Sustainability Indices, the Climate Disclosure Leadership Index, the Jantzi Social Index, the FTSE4Good Index, and the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations ranking. RBC contributed more than $82.8 million to community causes worldwide in 2007, through donations of more than $47.7 million, and an additional $35.1 million in sponsorship of community events and national organizations. The company produces an annual Corporate Responsibility Report outlining its sustainability performance at rbc.com/responsibility/reports.
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Media contact: Beja Rodeck, Director, RBC, Media Relations, 416-616-5918, beja.rodeck@rbc.com