MONOPOLY fever goes Canada wide as cities battle to earn their place on the
new MONOPOLY Canada game board!

TORONTO , Jan. 12 /CNW Telbec/ - Which Canadian city is your favourite? Hasbro is launching a nation wide vote to find our nation's 22 favourite cities that will be included on the new MONOPOLY Canada game board!

Beginning January 11, 2010 at midnight ET , MONOPOLY fans can visit www.monopolyvote.ca to cast votes for their favourite Canadian cities to help create a new MONOPOLY Canada game board. 65 great Canadian cities have been pre-selected for the top 20 city vote and Canadians are invited to cast their ballots for 3 of these great cities each day of the vote, which will be open until February 7, 2010 . The city that receives the most votes will be placed on the highest rent property traditionally held by Boardwalk.

The 20 cities that receive the most votes will be part of MONOPOLY history as the first cities selected to be on the Canadian game board through a consumer vote. However, two spaces on the board will be reserved for cities that are nominated through a wild card vote, which means any city in Canada can be nominated for these property spaces. Once the top 20 city vote is complete, the top 10 nominated wild card cities will also be put to a vote and the wild card winners will occupy the low-rent property spaces traditionally held by Mediterranean Avenue and Baltic Avenue. The wild card vote will take place from February 8, 2010 until February 21, 2010 .

"MONOPOLY is the world's most popular branded board game and it transcends cultural barriers," said Michelle Sinclair , Brand Manager for MONOPOLY. "More than 750 million people have played the game since it was first introduced 75 years ago and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down."

"The final result of the MONOPOLY CANADA Edition will be surprising and only time will tell how the vote will turn out. We hope that fans will vote early and often for their favourite Canadian city" added Michelle.

The 65 cities pre-selected for the nation-wide vote are:

    
    ABBOTSFORD                KAMLOOPS               SAGUENAY
    BARRIE                    KAWARTHA LAKES         SAINT JOHN
    BELLEVILLE                KELOWNA                SAINT-HYACINTHE
    BRAMPTON                  KINGSTON               SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU
    BRANDON                   KITCHENER              SARNIA
    BRANTFORD                 LAVAL                  SASKATOON
    CALGARY                   LETHBRIDGE             SAULT STE. MARIE
    CAPE BRETON               LONDON                 SHAWINIGAN
    CHARLOTTETOWN             MEDICINE HAT           SHERBROOKE
    CHATHAM-KENT              MISSISSAUGA            ST. CATHARINES
    CHILLIWACK                MONCTON                ST. JOHN'S
    DRUMMONDVILLE             MONTREAL               THUNDER BAY
    EDMONTON                  NANAIMO                TORONTO
    FREDERICTON               NORFOLK COUNTY         TROIS-RIVIERES
    GATINEAU                  NORTH BAY              VANCOUVER
    GRANBY                    OSHAWA                 VICTORIA
    GRANDE PRAIRIE            OTTAWA                 WHITEHORSE
    GREATER SUDBURY           PETERBOROUGH           WINDSOR
    GUELPH                    PRINCE GEORGE          WINNIPEG
    HALIFAX                   QUEBEC CITY            WOOD BUFFALO
    HAMILTON                  RED DEER               YELLOWKNIFE
    IQALUIT                   REGINA

                               HAVE YOUR SAY!
                     VOTE TODAY AT: www.monopolyvote.ca
    

For 75 years the official MONOPOLY board has represented the most elite locations in individual cities. With the successful launches of both the MONOPOLY Here & Now: Electronic Banking Edition and MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition, Canadians were able to showcase their passion for MONOPOLY. With this new edition of MONOPOLY, Canadian consumers will now have an opportunity to vote for their favourite city to appear on the final game board for a MONOPOLY edition to truly call their own.

The cities voted onto the final game board will be announced in June 2010 . The new MONOPOLY Canada Edition will be available in stores in summer 2010. So what are you waiting for Canada , have your say! Vote today at monopolyvote.ca!

Since 1935, more than 250 million copies of MONOPOLY have been sold in 106 countries and 40 languages. More than 200 different editions of the game have been published, but the most popular continues to be the classic "Number Nine." Affectionately known by its original product number, "Number Nine" is based on the streets of Atlantic City and is nearly identical to Charles Darrow's original submission to Parker Brothers . The MONOPOLY name and logo, the distinctive design of the game board, the four corner squares, the MR. MONOPOLY name and the character, as well as each of the distinctive elements of the board and playing pieces are trademarks of Hasbro for its property trading game and game equipment. (C) 2010 Hasbro. All Rights Reserved.

Hasbro is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.

For further information: Marisa Pedatella, Hasbro Canada, [phone] x 282, [email protected]