News Releases

• New branch represents an investment of $1.4 million in the community
• Experienced financial services team will be Making Money Make Sense in seven languages, six days a week
• "Toronto home sales are at near-record levels and homebuyers are feeling more confident about the real estate market", Robert Kavcic, Economist, BMO Capital Markets

TORONTO, April 24, 2010 - BMO Bank of Montreal opened the doors today to its newest branch in Leaside located at Laird Drive and Commercial Road.

The new branch is home to a team of 12 personal banking and investment professionals, including a Nesbitt Burns advisor, who look forward to bringing clarity to financial decisions for both new and existing BMO customers. The branch will be open Monday-Saturday and will be able to serve customers in seven languages including: English, Arabic, Armenian Farsi, Hindi, Korean and Russian.

"We are committed to providing every one of our customers with the best banking experience," said Branch Manager Farzaneh Malakooti-Nezad. "Our customers can be sure they will be met by a knowledgeable professional who will sit down and help them understand our products and services, so they can confidently make the right decisions with their money."

As the real estate market in Toronto continues to heat up, customers are looking for ways to save money on their mortgage and become mortgage-free sooner. BMO offers the lowest five-year fixed rate mortgage at 4.20 per cent and can help homeowners save thousands of dollars in interest while having the comfort of a fixed interest rate. This mortgage product, with a maximum 25 year amortization, is the right mortgage for the times.

"Toronto home sales are at near-record levels and homebuyers are feeling more confident about the real estate market," said Robert Kavcic, Economist, BMO Capital Markets. "With interest rates starting to rise, there is strong demand as people look to take advantage of current lower rates."

"With rising interest rates on the minds of Canadians, BMO is encouraging Canadians to come in and get pre-approved for our lowest five-year fixed rate mortgage. Customers will have up to 90 days to search for the home of their dreams and take advantage of this great offer with no obligation," said Anne Kozak, Personal Banking Area Manager.

Hours of operation for the new branch are:

Monday to Wednesday 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Thursday and Friday 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Saturday 9.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

About BMO in Toronto

BMO Bank of Montreal has played an active role in Toronto with 167 branches serving customers today. The bank donates to numerous local charitable organizations each year including: The United Way Toronto, Sunnybrook Foundation and Yonge Street Mission.