Ottawa November 4, 2022- CICan was pleased to participate in this week’s important discussions on the future of sustainable finance during the Sustainable Finance Forum organized by Ryan Turnbull, Member of Parliament for Whitby and attended by Prime Minister Trudeau, several Cabinet Ministers, MPs, Senators, and representatives from the banking and financial sectors, private foundations, investors, social enterprises and a range of civil society organizations.
CICan is an emerging practitioner within the sustainable finance ecosystem and is pleased to have contributed to the important discussions on how to accelerate the transition to environmentally sustainable economies through catalyzing public and private investment capital.
Sustainable finance involves the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors into investment decision making to ensure the world is moving towards a more sustainable future. The investments in infrastructure and technology needed to meet net zero by 2050 are critical. Equally important is the development of a skilled workforce that can support the transition to a low-carbon economy.
CICan and its members will continue to contribute to sustainable finance ecosystem building. Across Canada and internationally, CICan contributes to climate outcomes through a partnership approach with its member colleges, institutes, industry partners, SMEs, and community groups. As the intermediary in Canada’s first federally funded impact bond, CICan and its member have been pioneers in social finance and are now working with partners in Africa and Canada to design new outcomes-based instruments to address the multi-trillion-dollar annual financing gap for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. CICan is also designing a blended finance facility to address the barriers faced by women entrepreneurs in Africa, and specifically in Kenya.
Our members look forward to reading the recommendations of the Sustainable Finance Action Council and to continue working with financial institutions and other stakeholders to develop innovative financial instruments and to integrate Sustainable Finance into its business programs.
“It is crucial for education and skills training institutions to be a part of the sustainable finance discussion. Colleges and institutes deliver reimagined, high-quality, and innovative programming to futureproof young people, mid-career workers, and support businesses as they innovate. As leaders in the transition to a green economy, our members strengths should be top of mind.” Denise Amyot, President and CEO, Colleges and Institutes Canada
About Colleges and Institutes Canada:
CICan is the national and international voice of Canada’s largest post-secondary education network. It advocates, builds capacity, and drives knowledge to strengthen Canada’s publicly supported colleges, institutes, CEGEPs, and polytechnics. With more than 95% of Canadians living within 50 km of a member institution, and thanks to its extensive reach around the globe, CICan works to future-proof communities in Canada and abroad.
We respectfully acknowledge that CICan’s offices in Ottawa are located on the traditional and unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe Nation.
-30-
For more information:
Leah Jurkovic
Director, Communications
Colleges and Institutes Canada
Email: ljurkovic@collegesinstitutes.ca
Twitter: @CollegeCan