News Releases

Media Advisory BMO Financial Group to Hold Analyst Conference Call regarding Mercantile Bancorp, Inc. Agreement

BMO Financial Group will hold an Investor Community Conference call today at 8:30AM EDT to discuss its agreement to purchase Mercantile Bancorp, Inc., based in Hammond, Indiana.

· Investor Community Conference Call

- Time: 8:30am EDT

- The conference call will be available

- via telephone at : 1-800-766-6630 or 416-695-9757 (Toronto area)

- via the Internet at: www.bmo.com/investorrelations

· Presentation material referenced during the conference call will be available at www.bmo.com/investorrelations

· Conference Call Rebroadcast

- A rebroadcast of the investor community presentation will be available until Wednesday, October 27, 2004, by calling (416) 695-6380 or 1-888-280-8039 and entering passcode 6016#

- The webcast will be available at www.bmo.com/investorrelations for 3 months following the original broadcast

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