News Releases

BMO Financial Group announced today that it will be contributing $200,000 towards VanDusen Botanical Garden's Planting the Seed Capital Campaign, at the Thirsty Thursday fundraising reception in the Garden.  This is the largest corporate gift that the campaign has received to date.

VanDusen Botanical Garden Association President, Rowland McLeod said, “We are extremely pleased with BMO Financial Group's commitment to take a lead position in the Planting the Seed Capital Campaign.  More than $8 million has been raised to date toward the $20 million capital goal.”

“BMO's gift will support VanDusen Botanical Garden's plans to enhance visitor services, encourage environmental and botanical education for youth and adults and grow the Garden into an exciting meeting place for tourism, cultural and social activities,” said Richard Rudderham, Senior Vice-President, BC & Yukon Division, BMO Bank of Montreal.  “We were also impressed with VanDusen's vision to improve upon its already spectacular setting by combining a magnificent landscape with Westcoast modernist architecture,” added Mr. Rudderham.

City of Vancouver Park Board Chair, Heather Holden said, “The campaign is gaining ground in its goal to take the 30-year old garden, which has matured into a stunningly beautiful setting on 22 hectares in the heart of the city, into a new era of much needed expansion and renovation.”

In recognition of this gift, the renovated reception area will be known as the BMO Financial Group Great Hall. The hall is situated in the main building at the entrance to VanDusen Botanical Garden overlooking the garden terraces, Livingstone Lake and the Pacific Northwest Native Plant Garden.

In British Columbia, BMO Financial Group has 3,000 employees and operates 140 BMO Bank of Montreal branches, six BMO Nesbitt Burns branches, three BMO Harris Private Banking offices and a provincial office for BMO Capital Markets.

Since its founding in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group has been committed to corporate and social responsibility and the principles of sustainable development. In 2005, BMO Financial Group contributed $29.5 million in corporate donations, sponsorships and events in Canada, supporting thousands of communities, charities and not-for-profit organizations across the country. BMO was also named Canada's Best Corporate Citizen for 2005 by Corporate Knights and is the only financial institution to be ranked amongst the top ten Best Corporate Citizens in each of the last four years. 

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