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BMO Bank of Montreal's Main Branch today celebrates its 190th birthday, one day before its actual founding on November 3 1817, and invites its customers to join in the party. A birthday cake will be served between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the presence of period figures.
Bank of Montreal first opened for business in a building on Montreal's Saint Paul Street, making it the country's first bank. Two years later, the Bank moved to the corner of Saint Fran�ois Xavier and Saint Jacques Streets. The Bank built the current main branch, located at 119 Saint Jacques Street, in 1847. The neoclassical fa�ade, barely altered since its construction, is in striking contrast to the sumptuous Italian Renaissance interior, the work of the renowned architectural firm McKim, Mead and White.
Since its founding, Bank of Montreal has played a significant role in projects key to the growth of Quebec and the rest of Canada, including the construction of the first canals, telegraphs and railways, most notably Canadian Pacific's transcontinental line. The Bank was also responsible for the first Canadian currency, which it issued from its founding until the Bank of Canada was created in 1935. Key moments in the Bank's history are presented at the institution's Museum, which is located next to the Main Branch.
“The Main Branch in Montreal is one of the most notable buildings in the country and holds a special place in both the city's architectural heritage and Canada's history,” said Nadine Girault, Vice-President, Downtown Montreal, BMO Bank of Montreal. “That is why we have invested more than $2.6 million in recent months to maintain and restore it.”
During the latest round of work, the masonry of the building's fa�ade was restored, the entrance steps replaced and the grillwork and windows in the rear of the building restored. In addition the top cornice and the decorative pediment were cleaned.
The pediment features the Bank's coat of arms flanked by two natives and a colonist and a fisherman, who represent trade and agriculture. It is more than 15 metres high, weighs 25 tonnes and is one of the most impressive pieces of sculpture in Canada.
The Bank's coat of arms and motto, Concordia salus, which is located in the centre of the work and means “Prosperity through harmony,” were inspired by those of the City of Montreal, which came into use around 1833 under the administration of the city's first mayor, Jacques Viger.
“My colleagues and I are proud to work every day in this magnificent branch and can promise our customers, whether individuals or companies, that they will always find here, in this unique setting, a professional ready to have a meaningful discussion that starts and ends with their needs,” Ms. Girault added.
With 65 employees, the main branch today serves more than 20,000 customers and provides a full range of banking products and services to individuals and businesses.
BMO Bank of Montreal operates 160 branches in Quebec and is a member of BMO Financial Group, which also serves its Quebec customers through 17 BMO Nesbitt Burns branches and two BMO Harris Private Banking offices. With some 5,000 employees in Quebec, BMO Financial Group is known for its community involvement and announced more than $6 million in donations and sponsorships in the province in 2006.
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