In the wake of the tragic events that recently took place in Québec City, Québec's financial community is now joining forces to establish Inclusion, a philanthropic fund of more than $3.5 million to promote values in which it deeply believes: openness, inclusiveness and equality.

The 21 financial firms that support this initiative are convinced that education is the best defense against intolerance, discrimination and harassment.

Over the next five years, the new fund will support in particular awareness and education programs in schools. The purpose of these programs is to build inclusive living environments and promote greater openness in young people to diversity in all its forms.

First, the Inclusion fund will finance ENSEMBLE, Equitas, and Institut Pacifique. These organizations work with young people to build an environment free of discrimination or harassment. The allocated funds will allow them, among other things, to broaden the scope of their existing programs. Over the years, other organizations could be selected to be part of the Inclusion fund.

Québec's Centraide network will provide its support by ensuring sound governance of these funds.

The financial firms that spontaneously joined this initiative are:

About National Bank of Canada
With $232 billion in assets as at October 31, 2016, National Bank of Canada, together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada's leading integrated financial groups. The Bank has more than 21,000 employees and is widely recognized as a top employer. The Bank's securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: NA). Follow the Bank's activities at nbc.ca or via social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

National Bank of Canada published this content on 12 February 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 13 February 2017 16:17:10 UTC.

Original documenthttps://www.nbc.ca/en/about-us/news/news-room/press-releases/2017/20170212-Quebec-financial-community-creates-the-Inclusion-fund.html

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