The No. 1 target for G8 protesters in Ottawa next week will shut its downtown office during the two-day demonstrations.
Export Development Canada, a Crown corporation criticized in the past by activists for helping negligent Canadian traders, will ask about 1,000 employees to work at home on Wednesday and Thursday.
It is part of on-going security plans for downtown Ottawa in anticipation of violent demonstrations next week. Employees were recently informed by e-mail about the office closing.
Organizers of the Take the Capital protest have said they will target specific buildings. It has already been announced that the Ottawa courthouse will close during the two days.
The EDC's office tower at 151 O'Connor St. is expected to be the site of at least one demonstration.
Rod Giles, a spokesman for the Crown corporation, said it will put its "business continuity plan" into action next week to ensure minimal disruption.
He said the corporation's electronic data will still be available to its customers with employees set up to operate from their homes and alternate office sites.
Mr. Giles said employees have tested the continuity plan in the past and the EDC is ready.
"It won't be business as usual. There may be some delays in returning calls and some minor problems, but overall, we are confident we will continue to operate even though we won't be at our office," said Mr. Giles.
The EDC office tower is the first building mentioned on the Take the Capital Web site's list titled "Symbols of the capitalist empire in Ottawa."
Ironically, the activists organizing the demonstrations have misidentified the Crown corporation, calling it "Development Canada" rather than Export Development Canada.
"Home of corporate tax relief for investors and exporters who want to exploit developing country markets. This is a government-run corporation, which cares little for environmental, social or human impacts."
EDC says it provides trade finance services, in the form of loans and insurance, to Canadian exporters and investors.
Most developed countries have an export credit agency like EDC to promote exports. Critics have said some of the projects supported by the EDC have caused human rights violations and environmental damage in Third World countries.
EDC has rejected claims of abuses and has recently strengthened its environmental assessment process.
EDC says: "We also believe support be declined for projects which, in our opinion, may cause significant adverse environmental effects not justified by the projects' anticipated positive benefits."
Mr. Giles said only security staff will be in the building on Wednesday and Thursday.
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