HSBC Bank Canada has launched a month-long campaign to highlight its commitment to environmental sustainability.

During the campaign, HSBC is offering fee free chequing to customers who open a new transactional account and agree to minimize the amount of paper they use by banking electronically.

New customers who sign up for a chequing account during the campaign and who opt to bank electronically with direct payroll services, online bill payments and monthly ‘eStatements’ rather than the traditional paper versions, will have their monthly account fees (totalling more than $143 annually) waived for as long as they maintain the conditions on the account.

Other products included in the bank’s green campaign are the recently launched HSBC Global Climate Change Fund for investors focused on companies involved in finding solutions to climate change problems, and a special auto loan interest rate for buyers of selected low-emission vehicles.

As an additional incentive for customers to purchase any of these ‘green’ products HSBC Bank Canada will be making a donation for each new account to two not-for-profit organizations, Evergreen and Clean Air Champions, that are working to raise awareness of environmental issues.

“This summer’s campaign is a way for HSBC to reinforce our corporate commitment to the principles of environmental sustainability,” says Tracey Redies, executive vp, personal financial services.