TSX Venture Exchange celebrates 10 years as Canada's national market for
public venture capital

TORONTO , Nov. 30 /CNW/ - Today TSX Venture Exchange is celebrating its 10th anniversary of providing emerging companies with the equity fuel they need to drive their future growth. "TSX Venture Exchange is the number one source of venture capital funding for aspiring Canadian and international companies," said Tom Kloet, CEO, TMX Group. "Its equity financing and investing platform is both unique and unrivalled in the world, and I am very proud of its success and of the service it provides to emerging businesses."

Canada's public venture marketplace

TSX Venture Exchange is Canada's public venture capital marketplace, offering investors a well-regulated market for making venture capital investments. In November 1999 , Vancouver and Alberta Stock Exchanges joined together to form the Canadian Venture Exchange (CDNX). The Canadian Dealing Network, Winnipeg Stock Exchange and junior equities portion of the Montreal Exchange subsequently merged with CDNX, which later became TSX Venture Exchange.

"We are pleased to celebrate this significant landmark," said John McCoach, President, TSX Venture Exchange. "Over the past ten years, TSX Venture Exchange and our listed issuers have experienced many successes as we have grown and evolved together."

Platform for growth

Companies listed on TSX Venture Exchange can graduate to Toronto Stock Exchange once they meet the listing standards of the senior market. Over the last nine years, 441 TSX Venture Exchange listed companies have graduated to Toronto Stock Exchange, which affirms TSX Venture Exchange's position as a growth platform. TSX Venture Exchange graduates listed on Toronto Stock Exchange currently account for $87.6 billion in market capitalization.

"Listing on TSX Venture Exchange gave us important access to capital at an early stage in our company's development," said Yale Simpson, Executive Chairman, Exeter Resource Corporation. "Our recent graduation from TSX Venture Exchange to Toronto Stock Exchange is an important milestone for Exeter, but it also demonstrates how these exchanges helped us grow and succeed."

Nicholas Routhier , President and CEO, SENSIO Technologies Inc., added: "Being listed on TSX Venture Exchange has given us an ideal platform for increasing our visibility and influence in the financial community. We can now count on a large audience of sophisticated investors who understand our issues and support our growth in a tumultuous market."

Rebounding market performance in 2009

Today, TSX Venture Exchange is home to almost 2,200 companies that represent a diverse mix of industry sectors, including mining, energy, industrial, life sciences, technology, cleantech and financial services. 154 companies have listed on TSX Venture Exchange since January 1, 2009 . The Exchange's total market capitalization is $32 billion as of October 31, 2009 .

Despite recent economic challenges, the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index is up 62% as of October 31, 2009 , outperforming most of the world's major exchanges. Trading volume has also increased dramatically since January 2009 , growing from an average of 129 million shares per day to an average of 254 million shares per day in October 2009 .

    
    About TMX Group (TSX-X)
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TMX Group's key subsidiaries operate cash and derivative markets for multiple asset classes including equities, fixed income and energy. Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, Montreal Exchange, Natural Gas Exchange, Boston Options Exchange (BOX), Shorcan, Equicom and other TMX Group companies provide trading markets, clearing facilities, data products and other services to the global financial community. TMX Group is headquartered in Toronto with offices in Montreal , Calgary and Vancouver . For more information about TMX Group, visit our website at www.tmx.com.

For further information: Carolyn Quick, Director, Corporate Communications, TMX Group, [phone], [email protected]