Your Cause

Economic Development

Creating employment and employability in our workforce is critical if our communities are to remain productive and competitive.

Supporting anti-poverty groups. Funding training centres. Offering loans to people who typically can't qualify for credit. Providing something as simple as broad access to basic banking services. They're all examples of investing in the community, and of a fundamental belief of RBC Financial Group - that it's better to provide a hand up than a hand out.

2005 Highlights

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• RBC invests in Greater Halifax. Just as great gardens require care, attention and planning, so do great cities. (August 2005)
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• RBC joins Enterprise Greater Moncton Partnership. Enterprise Greater Moncton is responsible for managing sustainable economic development in one of New Brunswick's largest cities and ensuring that residents enjoy the full advantages of this growth through an enhanced quality of life. (August 2005)
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• RBC supports small businesses through Ontario's Small Business Enterprise Centres. Small business owners can face a lot of hurdles when they're starting out, and they may not yet have the expertise they need to develop a strong business plan. (July 2005)
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• Money Management for women in need. Managing your hard-earned money is always a challenge, even if you have access to financial planning resources. It's made more difficult when you're on a limited income, or have never had the advantage of learning about budgeting, credit and money management. (July 2005)
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• RBC Centura confirms commitment to provide low-to-moderate-income mortgages. RBC Centura has recently added a self-help mortgage product, in addition to its already established mortgage products, which will provide easier access to mortgages, specifically for low-to-moderate-income customers. (July 2005)
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• RBC Centura leaders attend Georgia trade mission to Canada. RBC Centura Bank's Georgia Regional President Drew Putt and General Counsel Betsy Edelman represented the bank and the state during Georgia's trade mission to Canada, July 26-28, 2005. (July 2005)
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• RBC sponsors the 2005 Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards. RBC Financial Group (RBC) became a sponsor of the 2005 RBC Canadian Woman Entrepreneur Awards to recognize outstanding women entrepreneurs who make important contributions to the Canadian economy.
  (May 2005)
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• Mothers honoured on Habitat build site. More than two dozen mothers joined Canadian television celebrity Mag Ruffman and other volunteers to celebrate Mother's Day by building a Habitat for Humanity home in Toronto, Ontario. (May 2005)
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• RBC donates $75,000 to Brandon University's Rural Development Program. RBC will donate $75,000 over three years to support the Visiting Scholar in Rural Development program, at Brandon University. This program will ensure the continued community sustainability and development in rural Canada. (March 2005)
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• RBC to offer internships to graduating class of Pathways to Education. RBC Financial Group will offer five summer internships to the inaugural graduating class of Pathways to Education, a program designed to support youth from economically disadvantaged communities.
  (February 2005)
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• RBC Financial Group brings United Way of Greater Toronto $6.5 million closer to its 2004 Fundraising Goal. RBC Financial Group (RBC) today announced its 2004 gift of $6.5 million to United Way of Greater Toronto. (January 2005)
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Local Initiatives

• Amhurst, Nova Scotia: RBC donated $1,100 to the Cumberland County United Way campaign.
  
  
• Antigua & Barbuda: RBC assisted the Government of Antigua & Barbuda through the Ministry of Finance & the Economy to procure 150 Computers from Dell at cost price. The computers were distributed throughout the respective Ministries to allow for easier access of real time information.
  
  
• Barbados: Our retail bank supported a Business and Professional Women's Club in a Self Development Seminar for Unemployed Women.
  
  
• Blairmore, Alberta: A one-day bake sale and fundraiser organized by RBC Royal Bank employees raised over $400 for the local food bank.
  
  
• Camrose, Alberta: RBC staff organized a series of fundraising events to raise over $1,000 to Bethany Homes for Children, Breakfast for Kids and the Camrose Food Bank.
  
  
• Carman, Manitoba: RBC Royal Bank donated $5,000 to the Carman and Community United Way.
  
  
• Halton, Ontario: Four high school students shared over $2,000 in prize money for the 2005 Halton Region RBC Business Plan Competition.
  
  
• Hanley, Saskatchewan: The RBC Foundation donated $5,000 to the Hanley Fire Department.
  
  
• Hinton, Alberta: On behalf of the RBC Foundation, RBC employees presented the Hinton United Way a cheque for $1,250.
  
  
• Lethbridge, Alberta: RBC Dominion Securities staff organized a charity golf tournament to benefit the Lethbridge Food Bank and raised nearly $8,000.
  
  
• Miami, Florida: RBC pledged US$15,000 to the "Give to Columbia" campaign, which will encourage US individuals and corporations to donate to Columbian causes by creating capacity in the Columbian not-for-profit sector, and by providing donors with objective and trustworthy information on Colombia and its social needs.
  
  
• Moncton, New Brunswick: RBC employees at the Mountain Road branch donated $1,000 to the Mobile One Soup Kitchen through dress-down Fridays.
  
  
• Moncton, New Brunswick: RBC donated $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity, and 80 employees helped construct a home in Moncton.
  
  
• Moncton, New Brunswick: RBC donated $3,000 to food banks throughout New Brunswick.
  
  
• Northern New Brunswick: RBC Financial Group kicked off its third annual donation and food bank drive by donating $19,500 to various food banks across Northern New Brunswick.
  
  
• Okotoks, Alberta: RBC Royal Bank in Okotoks was presented with the Community Service Excellence Award.
  
  
• Ponteix, Saskatchewan: RBC donated over $4,000 to the Ponteix Fire Department to help fund firefighter training.
  
  
• Raleigh, North Carolina: RBC participated with "Sailing into financial independence", an event to help promote home ownership, provide investments guidance and business development to young professionals.
  
  
• Regina, Saskatchewan: As part of the 2005 United Way Day of Caring, RBC employees landscaped the Regina Residential Resource Centre and SOFIA House.
  
  
• Sackville, New Brunswick: RBC Royal Bank branches collected over $300 worth of food to complement a $2,000 donation to the Restigouche County Volunteer Action Association.
  
  
• Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: Forty RBC employees insulated and put siding on two Habitat for Humanity houses.
  
  
• Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia: RBC donated $15,000 to food banks across Eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton.
  
  
• Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador: RBC donated $5,000 and accepted public donations at various bank branches to help the people of Stephenville whose homes were damaged by fierce floods.
  
  
• St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador: RBC donated $17,000 to food banks across the province.
  
  
• Sydney, Nova Scotia: The RBC Foundation donated $5,000 toward the construction of an emergency service centre for the Grand Lake Road Volunteer Fire Department.
  
  
• Truro, Nova Scotia: Employees at RBC Royal Bank raised $4,280 for the United Way of Colchester County, bringing RBC's total donation to nearly $7,500.
  
  
• Truro, Nova Scotia: Since 1998, local RBC employees have volunteered 31 years of service and $6,000 through the RBC Employee Volunteer Grants Program to the Big Brother-Big Sister In School Mentoring Program. In 2005, RBC employees in Truro donated $1,500.
  
  
• Vancouver, B.C.: RBC employees helped raise over $638,000 for the United Way.
  
  
• Winnipeg, Manitoba: RBC employees hosted an 'RBQ' to help raise awareness about Winnipeg Harvest, an emergency food bank. Since 1991, RBC has donated over $41,000 to Winnipeg Harvest, including $10,000 in 2005.
  
  
• Yarmouth, Nova Scotia: RBC Royal bank donated $2,000 and groceries to the Yarmouth Food Bank.

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