Send a message to the BC Teachers' Federation and the BC Teachers' Pension Plan

Aerial image of Alberta Tar Sands, Alberta, Canada

At the 2022 Annual General Meeting of the teachers’ union, a motion to divest the teachers’ pension fund from all oil and gas investments received overwhelming support from teachers in B.C. And yet, despite the clear signal from its membership, the BCTF is still refusing to follow through.

The BCTF represents 49,000 public school teachers. Their pensions are invested by the BC Investment Management Corporation (BCI), which manages over $200 billion in assets, including all public sector pensions. That’s why teachers in B.C. are organizing to force the BCTF to respect the wishes of their membership and start to divest teacher pensions from fossil fuels.

Will you support teachers in B.C. and demand that the BCTF divests from fossil fuels now?

Send a message to the BC Teachers’ Federation and the BC Teachers' Pension Plan

Your Details
Review & Send
Thank You

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

Country

Zip or Postal Code

Mobile Number

I am a member of the BCTF and am a stakeholder in the pension plan

Yes I want to receive email action alerts and campaign updates from Stand.earth (untick to unsubscribe from all emails)

PERSONALIZE YOUR MESSAGE

Your letter is more effective when it's been personalized by you. The most impactful letters include details about your life, why you care personally, or how you'll be impacted by this decision.

President

Clint

Johnston

BCTF

Vice-President

Teri

Mooring

BCTF

2nd Vice-President

Carole

Gordon

BCTF

2nd VP

Robin

Tosczak

BCTF

Assistant Director

Sarb

Lalli

BCTF

Board

BCTF

Board

BCTF

Board member

Jelena

Bighorn

BCTF

Board member

Bénula

Bunjun

BCTF

Board member

Kevin

Epp

BCTF

Board member

Mariah

Franzmann

BCTF

Board member

Rick

Joe

BCTF

Board member

Lisa

LaBoucane

BCTF

Board member

Jody

Polukoshko

BCTF

Board member

Katherine

Trepanier

BCTF

Board member

Winona

Waldron

BCTF

Mr.

Raj

Bawa

BCTF

Mr.

Rob

Taylor

BCTF

Ms.

Elizabeth

Beaverstock

BCTF

Ms.

Leslie

Roosa

BCTF

Mr.

Chris

Skillings

BCTF

Mr.

Jonathan

Foweraker

BCTF

Ms.

Linda

Reeve

BCTF

Dear {contact_data~positionHeld} {contact_data~lastName},

At the 2022 BCTF AGM, members overwhelmingly voted to divest their pension from fossil fuels. I am writing to you today to urge the BCTF to honor the will of their membership and instruct the board of TPP (Teachers’ Pension Plan) to direct BCI (BC Investments Corporation) to immediately divest.

We (BCTF Divest and its supporters) ask that the BCTF immediately designate someone who is knowledgeable about investment finance to spearhead the divestment process, develop a divestment plan with BCTF Divest Now, and inform members of the process that will be undertaken to ensure that the process of divestment is started by January 1, 2023.

The British Columbia Investment Management Investment Corporation (BCI) manages most BC public sector pension funds – in total over $200 billion. BCI invests on behalf of the Teachers’ Pension Plan. In their infrastructure and renewable resources portfolio BCI owns significant stakes in many fossil fuel companies. Institutional investors such as pension funds are the great enablers of climate change. By investing in fossil fuel companies, they enable these companies to continue to release and burn more fossil fuels, driving up global greenhouse gas emissions at the very time when we need to be doing the exact opposite - urgently and rapidly decreasing emissions. Fossil fuel investments are not financially sound; by not divesting from fossil fuels in 2010, BCI may have lost a total of $17,876 per active plan member.

Many pension funds are beginning to say they are aligning their investment practices with climate science and risk; however, pension funds are not making effective use of actions, such as divestment, to address climate change. Nearly 30% of fossil fuel industry shares are held by pension funds. With this much financial powe, pension funds could be a force to reckon with in the fight to tackle climate change.

Divesting from fossil fuels will allow pensions to avoid major losses and gain the opportunity to reinvest in less risky sectors including in climate solutions, local business and clean energy companies.

It's time for the BCTF to take serious action and honour the resolution voted on by members and start the process of divestment immediately. I look forward to hearing from you about the specifics of the BCTF divestment plan.

Respectfully,

{user_data~First Name} {user_data~Last Name}
{user_data~Zip or Postal Code}

I confirm I have reviewed this message and approve it

CLICK HERE TO SEND YOUR MESSAGE

Stand is an advocacy organization that brings people together to demand that corporations and governments put people and the environment first.