<<
    The first-ever voluntary carbon offset investment fund takes aim at
    Corporate Canada
    >>

TORONTO, Nov. 23 /CNW/ - TD Bank Financial Group, the first bank in Canada to commit to a carbon neutral goal, today announced it has made a $3 million investment in the Greening Canada Fund, the first-ever voluntary carbon emissions reduction fund designed to purchase and deliver local carbon offset credits for its investors.

"We're improving our energy efficiency and we're investing in renewable energy - but we can never entirely eliminate all of our carbon emissions. That's where 'offsets' come in," says Karen Clarke-Whistler, Chief Environment Officer, TD Bank Financial Group. "The Greening Canada Fund is a homegrown solution to generating carbon offset credits that allows us all to see the benefits of 'greening' schools, hospitals and other local organizations - right in our own backyards."

As part of its ongoing commitment to the environment, TD is implementing a carbon neutral plan that has three main components:

    <<
    -  Reduce the Bank's operational footprint by becoming more energy
       efficient. TD has set an energy reduction target of five per cent
       relative to 2006 by 2010 - and factoring in the growth in operations,
       the target becomes 10 to 12 per cent. By retrofitting the lighting in
       buildings, upgrading data centres, optimizing heating/cooling systems
       and introducing a new fleet policy to use more environmentally-
       friendly vehicles, TD is well on its way to achieving this target.

    -  Use renewable energy. TD's entire network of 2,600 Green Machine ABMs
       in Canada is powered by renewable energy and all of its electricity
       consumption for operations in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia
       and PEI comes from renewable energy. In fact, this year more than
       20 per cent of the Bank's entire energy consumption in Canada will
       come from renewable sources making TD one of the largest corporate
       purchasers of renewable energy in the country.

    -  Generate local carbon offset credits to neutralize TD's own remaining
       emissions - by investing in activities to reduce emissions for others.
       For example, in addition to TD's investment in the Greening Canada
       Fund, the Bank recently announced a program to help Habitat for
       Humanity Canada build incredibly energy efficient homes for low-income
       families.
    >>

"By investing in carbon offset programs that improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in communities, we're able to show Canadians real examples of low carbon technology. At the same time, we're assisting non-profit organizations to develop a new revenue stream and reduce their operating costs," adds Clarke-Whistler.