Action 1 - Banner Drop - November 28th, 2019 - Roncesvalles Pedestrian Bridge

Here is the team, promoting the November 29th Climate Strike and Divest RBC event by making positive connections with rush-hour drivers!

All Photos unless otherwise credited: Ioanna Engel

For the Global Climate Strike on November 29 (11:30 at Queen's Park), Toronto350 joins Fridays For Future Toronto/GTA to demand climate justice. As a key part of the rally and march, we will confront RBC, Canada's largest financer of the fossil fuel industry. The action is part of an international campaign, Fossil Banks No Thanks, targeting global banks as major drivers of the climate crisis. The following is a statement from Fossil Banks No Thanks.

On September 27th, Friday’s For Future Toronto (F4FTO) spearheaded the Global Climate strike which drew crowds of 50,000+ to Queen’s Park. Now, the F4FTO youth organizers for Climate Strikes Canada are planning their next global climate strike!

The strike will take place on Black Friday, November 29th, the Friday before the UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid, Spain. The rally will be at Queen’s Park at 11:30 with the March at 12 noon. Find the facebook event listing at Global Strike for Climate Justice.

written by Isabella, Climate Striker and member of Fridays for Future Toronto.

For the first time in history, people around the world are faced, with varying levels, the same threat regardless of gender, race, age, socio-economic status, religion or culture. From September 20-27, the climate crisis will be put front-stage internationally as millions of climate justice supporters rally, strike and support.

Join in on a week of climate actions, September 20 - 27th. This Global Week of Climate Justice Action is being led by youth Climate Strikers and here in Toronto, it begins with a youth rally and teach-in on September 20th and ends with a global strike that, to quote the Fridays for Future event page, involves all of us - "unions, workers, parents, grandparents, every single one" of us. 

As I hurried across the road towards Queen's Park at 12:30 on May 24, my heart sank. Instead of the familiar sight of a crowd waving signs and the familiar sound of a voice coming through a loudspeaker, I was met with silence and emptiness. Had everyone run out of steam after that huge National Strike on May 3 (over 2,500 people)? Did they all stop caring?

Our first Climate Picnic had sun, music, flags, blankets, napping and lots of networking amongst people who are both experienced with and completely new to climate organizing. 

We have more coming up – one on June 1 in Ottawa (Climate Picnic - June 1) and one near Eglinton West Station on June 8 (Climate Picnic - June 8).

But what we really want is for EVERYONE reading this to host their own picnic – Maybe on July 1^st. So, here is a how-to guide for hosting your own climate picnic!

Toronto350
Extinction Rebellion Toronto
FridaysForFuture Toronto/GTA

Divestment and youth movements converge on Toronto office of Barclays Bank over fossil fuel finance

Friday May 24, 12:30 pm
333 Bay St, Toronto

On Friday May 24, climate activists from Toronto350, Extinction Rebellion Toronto and Fridays For Future Toronto/GTA will join a global action targeting Barclays Bank, Europe’s largest financer of fossil fuel industries. A rally outside 333 Bay Street, which houses Barclays’ Toronto business office, will be joined by youth-led Fridays For Future, who will march down Bay Street towards Union Station. The Barclays Bank rally is one of 37 taking place Friday and Saturday, in the UK, Frankfurt, Madrid and Toronto, coordinated by Momentum UK. The Fridays For Future march is one of over 1,200 school strikes in 107 countries to be held on Friday, as part of a Global Strike for Climate (photo by Orville Cummings).

On April 4th, Toronto350 teamed up with the Fossil Banks, No Thanks! campaign to lead a demonstration outside Toronto Dominion Bank’s Annual Shareholders’ Meeting. Toronto350 demanded that the bank’s lending and financing activities align with a safe climate. Independently, TD shareholders at the meeting considered a proposal to withdraw financing from greenhouse gas polluting projects. (Photo above by Milan Ilnyckyj).

Remarks delivered by Trudeau at a Liberal Climate Action Rally in Toronto on March 4th, were partly geared toward pressuring provinces that are resisting federal climate plans. Trudeau stated that climate change leaves us without any time to spare, that pollution should be paid for and that we are still waiting for a climate plan from the federal conservatives.

However, the contradiction between the existing government's climate plans and their continued support for fossil fuel extraction, prompted groups concerned about effective climate action and Indigenous rights to gather outside, in front of the Danforth Music Hall. The event was advertised for 6-8 and despite a temperature of -9 with wind chill, about two dozen protesters arrived in advance of six pm.