LETHBRIDGE, AB, Oct. 16, 2013 – The National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association (NATOA) is proud and honoured to announce a significant commitment by the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), through the RBC Foundation and RBC Estate & Trust Services’ Aboriginal Services Group, to support NATOA in meeting its goals to build vital trust and investment capacity within Aboriginal Communities. RBC has committed to become the first Platinum Level Member in NATOA, contributing $25,000 to assist NATOA in providing service to the Aboriginal communities and in further developing the online Trust and Investment training currently being offered by NATOA through LethbridgeCollege.
NATOA is pleased that a significant Canadian organization, such as RBC, embraces and supports NATOA’s goals of building financial capacity within the Aboriginal community. The membership of NATOA includes many Aboriginal members who are Trust Managers, Trustees, Chiefs and Councils along with all of the major Canadian Financial Institutions, Trust Companies, Investment Firms, Advisory, Legal and Accounting organizations.
“It is important to understand the effects of good trust management and decision making, both for today’s generation and the seven generations to come,” stated NATOA Chairman, Wyatt Arcand. “There are many opportunities to improve the management of trust funds for our communities and this commitment by RBC will go a long way to help us meet those needs, moving forward.”
“This is truly an exciting time for NATOA,” Arcand continued, “With the support of RBC, we can continue to provide support, knowledge and help to our communities across Canada.”
“RBC is both honoured and excited to be a key supporter of the next phase of the NATOA Trustee Accreditation program offered through Lethbridge College,” said Michelle Kasper, Vice President, RBC Wealth Management Estate & Trust Services, Aboriginal Services Group. “Through our work as a corporate trustee, we recognize that trust and investment education is a critical step toward building capacity and expertise in Aboriginal communities and to providing for both current and future community needs.”
There is an estimated $200 billion dollars of trust assets and investments being managed on behalf of Aboriginal communities across Canada. NATOA’s vision is to improve the knowledge and capacity of these communities to ensure effective and beneficial trust management. With effective management, these trusts may provide increased investment return which could see a modest two per cent increase in community revenues. A modest two per cent increase would put an extra $4 billion dollars of extra funding into much needed programs and services.
About NATOA:
The National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association (NATOA) is a not-for-profit Association of Aboriginal and Industry members who work within the Aboriginal Trust and Investment communities.
NATOA’s Mandate: The organizers of NATOA are committed to ensuring that the best possible information on areas relevant to trusts, such as investing, trust structures; accounting, tax, management, administration and legal issues is available through an internet- based research library and website.
About RBC Estate & Trust Services’ Aboriginal Services Group
The Aboriginal Services Group is a highly specialized unit within RBC Estate and Trust Services and is the only bank-owned trust company in Canada that has a department dedicated exclusively to administering trusts established by Aboriginal clients. With almost two decades of experience in managing First Nation trusts and more than half a billion dollars in assets under administration, The Aboriginal Services Group understands the unique issues that Aboriginal communities face, and how those issues affect the administration of settlement trusts. RBC Estate & Trust Services is part of RBC Wealth Management, one of the world’s top 10 largest wealth managers*. For more information, please visit www.rbcwealthmanagement.com.
*Scorpio Partnership Global Private Banking KPI Benchmark 2013. In the United States, securities are offered through RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada. Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.
About RBC’s Commitment to Community and Sustainability
In 2012, RBC contributed more than $95 million to causes worldwide, including donations and community investments of more than $64 million and $31 million in sponsorships. RBC employs approximately 80,000 full and part-time people who serve more than 15 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 49 other countries. RBC is recognized among the world’s financial, social and environmental leaders and is listed on the 2012-2013 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the DJSI North American Index, the Jantzi Social Index and the FTSE4Good Index. RBC is one of Canada’sGreenest Employers, one of Canada’s 50 Most Socially Responsible Corporations, and among the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World.
NATOA
Mark Sevestre, Secretary Treasurer/Executive Board Member
(289) 260-4088
RBC
Pamela Brown, Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
(403) 292-3372