152 communities across the globe to receive $3.2 million in funding from RBC Blue Water Project

2016 RBC Blue Water Project Leadership and Community Action Grants Announced

TORONTO, June 2, 2016 /CNW/ - Water is fundamental to the sustainability of all life on the planet. Our dependence on our local water sources continues to increase in almost every aspect of our lives and protecting this most precious resource is a growing priority around the world.

RBC today announced the recipients of the 2016 RBC Blue Water Project Leadership and Community Action Grants. RBC will donate more than $3.2 million for water protection programs delivered by 152 organizations across six countries, including Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Luxembourg, and Malaysia. The grants will fund innovative programs that improve urban water quality, enhance storm water management and protect and restore urban waterways.

"Having access to clean, fresh water should be a fundamental right for all communities," stated Dave McKay, president and CEO, RBC. "We support the efforts and impact our Blue Water Leadership and Community Action Grant recipients are making.  We also recognize the tireless energy of our employees who join community organizations in Blue Water Makeover events to help protect the local water they love."

Today's announcement is part of RBC's annual Blue Water Day, a time when RBC employees internationally join together to protect their local water sources through "Blue Water Makeovers", which can include shoreline or riverside clean ups, planting, and water awareness-raising initiatives. Last year, more than 25,000 RBC employees in 26 countries were joined by more than 5,000 family, friends and clients to help their communities prosper in 850 Blue Water Day Makeovers around the world.

For a full list of the 2016 Blue Water Leadership and Community Action Grant recipients, click here.

The RBC Blue Water Project is a historic, wide-ranging, 10-year global commitment to help protect the world's most precious natural resource: fresh water. Since 2007, RBC has pledged more than C$47 million to 760 charitable organizations worldwide that protect watersheds and promote access to clean drinking water, with an additional $8.8 million pledged to universities for water programs. For further information, visit www.rbc.com/bluewater.

About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is Canada's largest bank, and one of the largest banks in the world, based on market capitalization. We are one of North America's leading diversified financial services companies, and provide personal and commercial banking, wealth management, insurance, investor services and capital markets products and services on a global basis. We have over 80,000 full- and part-time employees who serve more than 16 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the U.S. and 36 other countries. For more information, please visit rbc.com.‎

RBC helps communities prosper, supporting a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments, sponsorships and employee volunteer activities. In 2015, we contributed more than $121 million to causes around the world.

SOURCE RBC

For further information: Jason Graham, RBC Communications, 416-383-5783, [email protected]