uOTTAWA STUDENTS CALL ON UNIVERSITY TO DIVEST FROM FOSSIL FUELS

OTTAWA, ON – October 28, 2021 – The University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU) and Climate Justice uOttawa (CJCUO) applaud the University of Toronto’s announcement to divest from fossil fuel investments, and call on the University of Ottawa to follow suit.

Yesterday, the University of Toronto’s President, Meric Gertler, announced that the University of Toronto will divest from fossil fuel investments by 2030. This follows years of advocacy from students and climate justice organizations in Toronto.

Divestment is an important issue for students at the University of Ottawa. In 2019, the UOSU’s membership voted in favour of a motion calling on the University of Ottawa to update students on divestment. The students’ union has continued to raise this issue in meetings with the University administration, but no firm commitments have been established.

“It’s long past time for uOttawa to step up for our planet’s future,” said Tim Gulliver, President of the University of Ottawa Students’ Union. “Our members have made it clear that divestment is an important issue to them. We are ready to work with the University of Ottawa to join the University of Toronto as being a leader in this movement.”

Over the past year, Climate Justice uOttawa and Climate Action Carleton ran the #FossilFreeDegree Campaign, with 1,000 students signing a petition calling on both institutions to divest from fossil fuels.

“Students have been calling on the University of Ottawa to take moral and systematic action on climate for years,” said Erica Leighton, an organizer at Climate Justice uOttawa. “We congratulate the generations of student activists at UofT who made this happen. Divestment would send a signal to governments, industries, and the wider public about the urgent need to take action. uOttawa cannot be a climate leader without divesting.”

In 2016, uOttawa’s Board of Governors rejected divestment, instead committing to a transition towards clean investments and a review in 5 years. The UOSU represents over 38,000 undergraduate students at the University of Ottawa and strives to improve their experience inside and outside the classroom, by advocating on their behalf, providing services, and organizing social events.

About the University of Ottawa Students’ Union
The University of Ottawa Students’ Union (UOSU) is the new student union representing the 38,000+ undergraduate students at the University of Ottawa. Founded in 2019, the UOSU strives to improve campus life, by providing services, organizing social events and advocating on their behalf.

About Climate Justice uOttawa
Climate Justice uOttawa (CJCUO) is a student-run grassroots club at the University of Ottawa. CJCUO works to foster a space for climate activism on campus, inform the uOttawa community about climate justice, and work with other organizations on climate justice-related events such as divestment. They believe that the University of Ottawa should commit to fully divesting from the fossil fuel industry and reinvesting in clean and just alternatives by 2025.