In another contribution to international climate change objectives, Canada’s export credit agency has issued a CAD$500 million Green Bond. The bond will attract capital for green investment and grow Export Development Canada’s (EDC) climate-friendly financing portfolio.
“Issuing more than $2 billion in Green Bonds over a half-decade demonstrates EDC’s commitment to supporting green projects and initiatives and, perhaps more importantly, the increasing demand for sustainable investment products within the Canadian market,” said Ken Kember, Senior Vice President, Finance, and Chief Financial Officer, EDC.
This is EDC’s second Green Bond in Canadian dollars and its fifth Green Bond in recent years. Previous bonds issued include: CAD$500 million in August 2017, USD$500 million in May 2017, USD$300 million in December 2015, and USD$300 million in January 2014. Each bond received strong support from the investor community.
Proceeds of all EDC’s Green Bond offerings go toward EDC’s portfolio of green assets, including loans made to companies active in fields of preservation, protection or remediation of air, water and or soil, creation of renewable energy, and mitigation of climate change. These proceeds have so far helped finance approximately 30 transactions in support of environmentally-beneficial companies or projects. Among other potential benefits, it’s estimated these efforts have helped to avoid more than four million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
“EDC was the first Canadian institution to issue a Green Bond back in 2014 and our experience since has shown that there’s a real appetite for these sustainable investment vehicles,” Kember said.
“Green Bonds are a fantastic way to mobilize funds that can have a real impact on advancing clean tech development and responding to the climate change challenge.”
With the issuance of this latest bond, EDC is hoping to bring more domestic and international investors to the table to further stimulate the growth of the Green Bond market in Canada.