Media Advisory/Photo Opportunity - BMO Bank of Montreal Kicks Off Program to
Support the Tri-cities' Hospital Foundations

$50,000 already raised, plus for every new BMO MasterCard account opened, $50 will be donated to support the three hospital foundations in Kitchener, Waterloo and Cambridge.

- Media are invited to attend An Evening Together to Support the Hospital Foundations of Cambridge Memorial, Grand River and St. Mary's General Hospitals on Thursday, April 15 featuring Dr. Sherry Cooper who will provide an economic outlook for the Tri-cities and Canada, and global economies

- A $50,000 cheque from event ticket sales will be presented to the hospital foundations

KITCHENER, ON, April 13 /CNW/ - BMO Bank of Montreal today announced two fundraising initiatives in support of the three Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge area hospitals - Cambridge Memorial, Grand River and St. Mary's General. The fundraisers will help the three hospitals purchase, upgrade and replace equipment necessary to deliver top-notch clinical care.

The campaign will kick off with an evening fundraiser on Thursday, April 15 with 450 guests, and will be followed by a six-month campaign that will run from May 1, 2010 to October 31, 2010. During the campaign, when a customer applies for and uses their BMO MasterCard for the first time, $50 will be donated to the hospital foundations. Customers can apply for a BMO MasterCard in any branch in the Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge areas as well as online through the three separate hospital foundation websites (link will be added to each website for May 1).

"We are grateful to see BMO Financial Group employees and customers demonstrating their giving spirit as they strive to improve people's lives," said Ingrid Town, Executive Director of the Cambridge Memorial Hospital Foundation. "This event, and the revenue that it will generate, will make a very meaningful difference to healthcare in our region."

"BMO recognizes the important contributions that these hospitals make to the well-being of our community and it is our long-standing philosophy to give back to the communities where we do business. On behalf of our employees and customers we extend a very sincere thank you to these organizations and hope that our donations can help them continue to do the good work that they do every day," said Susan Brown, Senior Vice President, Ontario Regional Division, BMO Bank of Montreal.

WHAT

An Evening Together to Support the Hospital Foundations of Cambridge Memorial, Grand River and St. Mary's General Hospitals

    
    WHO:

    -   Keynote speaker: Dr. Sherry Cooper, Chief Economist, BMO Capital
        Markets
    -   Susan Brown, Senior Vice President, Ontario Regional Division, BMO
        Bank of Montreal
    -   Michael Klopchic, District Vice-President, Mid-Western Ontario, BMO
        Bank of Montreal
    -   Ingrid Town, Executive Director, Cambridge Memorial Hospital
        Foundation
    -   Peter Sweeney, President, St. Mary's General Hospital Foundation
    -   Nancy Hewat, Executive Director, Grand River Hospital Foundation

    WHERE
    Bingemans Conference Centre, Grand Ballroom
    425 Bingemans Centre Drive
    Kitchener, ON

    WHEN:
    Thursday, April 15, 2010 from 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
    6:00 p.m. : Presentations from Dr. Sherry Cooper - "The healing of the
    global economy and how it impacts you", Susan Brown, and Michael Klopchic
    7:45 p.m.: Cheque presentation
    

To purchase tickets to the event please visit www.bingemans.com/bmo.

For more than 192 years, BMO Financial Group has believed in community reinvestment and corporate and social responsibility in the communities it serves. In 2009, BMO contributed $55 million in donations, sponsorships and events in Canada and the United States to groups, organizations and programs that help build and sustain resilient, vital and healthy communities.

For further information: For media inquiries please contact: Martha McInnis, [email protected], [phone]