News Releases

BMO Bank of Montreal To Give Away One Million AIR MILES Reward Miles to Customers in Holiday "Thank-You"

TORONTO, December 12, 2005 – In the spirit of the Holiday season, BMO Bank of Montreal has launched a "Thanks a Million" AIR MILES Holiday Contest for its customers. The contest offers the largest prize giveaway in the history of BMO’s AIR MILES reward program.

"This is the biggest AIR MILES promotion we’ve ever done and a great way to let our customers know we value and appreciate their business," said Barb Budarick, Vice President, BMO Bank of Montreal. "AIR MILES is the most popular loyalty program in the country and we decided that giving our loyal customers an opportunity to win significant prizes – no strings attached - would be a fitting gift at this time of the year."

To ensure national representation,a 100,000 AIR MILES reward miles grand prize winner will be selected from each of five regions: Western Region – British Columbiaand the Yukon; Prairies Region – Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and the North West Territories; Central Region – Ontario and Nunavut; Eastern Region – Newfoundland & Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island; and Quebec. Fifty secondary prizes of 10,000 AIR MILES reward miles will also be allocated and distributed regionally.

To put the top prizes into context, 100,000 AIR MILES will provide the equivalent of 14 round trip flights to Paris, 35 digital cameras or 1,000 CDs!

The promotion will run until December 31, 2005, and will be supported online through bmo.com and by a national print advertising campaign.

All BMO Bank of Montreal customers with a debit or credit balance (excluding BMO Mosaik MasterCard) and whose account is in good standing will be included in the BMO "Thanks a Million" AIR MILES contest. The draw will take place on February 14, 2006.

BMO Bank of Montreal is the only bank to offer AIR MILES reward miles. Customers can earn reward miles on their investments, mortgages, purchases with Mosaik MasterCard, everyday banking and business banking. BMO Bank of Montreal entered a partnership with Loyalty Management Group and the AIRMILES program in 1992.

The AIR MILES Reward Program allows Collectors to indulge in leisure, entertainment, merchandise, travel and other lifestyle rewards quickly, simply by doing their everyday shopping for products and services at more than 100 brand-name AIR MILES Sponsors across the country, representing more than 14,000 retail and service locations. AIR MILES reward miles can be redeemed for more than 500 rewards such as movie passes, family attractions, CDs and DVDs, electronic merchandise, sports and recreation, travel and more.

Established in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified North American financial services organization. With total assets of more than $297 billion as at October 31, 2005, and more than 33,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions. BMO Financial Group serves clients across Canada through its Canadian retail arm, BMO Bank of Montreal, and through BMO Nesbitt Burns, one of Canada’s leading full-service investment firms.

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