BMO Expands Financial Literacy Program Empowering Canadians to Make Real Financial Progress

• Expansion of innovative digital platform provides educational resources on financial literacy topics including homeownership, budgeting and credit management.
• Recent study shows over three-in-four (77 per cent) Canadians want to increase their personal finance knowledge.

TORONTO, May 2, 2023 /CNW/ - BMO today announced the expansion of BMO SmartProgress, an online education platform with interactive resources on personal finance topics that empowers Canadians to make real financial progress through informed financial decisions.

The latest findings from BMO's Real Financial Progress Index found 77 per cent of Canadians wish they knew more about saving and investing (50 per cent), retirement planning (35 per cent), budgeting (30 per cent), credit scores (22 per cent) and home buying (19 per cent).

In addition, a separate BMO survey found 58 per cent of Canadians consider financial literacy tools and resources an important aspect of online banking and two thirds (65 per cent) want access to personalized advice.

BMO SmartProgress organizes topics including budgeting, credit management and homeownership into playlists, enabling Canadians to learn more about how to manage their finances in a widely- accessible and innovative platform.

"BMO SmartProgress is a convenient resource for all Canadians looking to strengthen their understanding of important, personal financial topics and make confident financial decisions," said Gayle Ramsay, Head, Everyday Banking, Segment & Customer Growth, BMO. "Digital tools like these support our commitment for a thriving economy by empowering our customers to take their financial plans to the next level and make real financial progress."

BMO initially launched BMO SmartProgress for Newcomers to Canada as part of its NewStart Program in November 2022, with financial literacy topics for new Canadians as they begin to build their finances. BMO is now making the platform available to all Canadians to learn more about important personal finance topics and build their financial literacy anywhere and at any time.

The expansion of BMO SmartProgress adds to a wide offering of innovative digital tools and real time insights powered by AI that promote financial literacy and empower customers to make real financial progress:

• BMO CreditView: Customers can quickly and easily check their credit scores and access new tools and advice to help manage their credit profile online and on mobile.
• BMO Insights: To save more, monitor spending and account values, and spot unusual activity, 25 BMO Insights are available to provide customers free, quick and personalized pictures of their daily spending to help them make good spending decisions. Some popular online insights include:
• CashTrack: Using Artificial Intelligence, these insights monitor customers' cash flows and lets them know if they will run out of money in the next seven days.
• Spend Categorization: These insights notify customers when there has been a significant increase in a specific spending category or if a free trial has expired.
• BMO Savings Amplifier Account: To help make savings easy and automatic, BMO's new Savings Amplifier Account offers no monthly fees, a competitive interest rate and unlimited no-fee transfers to other BMO accounts. In addition, its digital Savings Goals feature enables customers to set, track and manage their financial goals.

To learn more about BMO SmartProgress, please visit: www.bmo.com/smartprogress.

For more information about BMO's Digital First strategy and to learn how BMO is focused on building a digitally-enabled, future-ready bank that drives progress for its customers, unlocks the power of its people and delivers loyalty, growth and efficiency, visit: https://about.bmo.com/our-strategy/.

About BMO Financial Group
BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.15 trillion as of January 31, 2023. Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services to 12 million customers across Canada, the United States, and in select markets globally. Driven by a single purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future and more inclusive society.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

Media contact: Anke Suwanda, Toronto, [email protected], [phone]