News Releases

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - April 10, 2012) -

ATTENTION: Arts & Culture and City Editors

Editors Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

BMO Financial Group today announced that it is making a $750,000 donation to Health Arts Society and Société pour les Arts en Milieux de Santé, which represents seven societies, to support a major undertaking that will bring concerts to long-term care facilities across Canada. Over 1,600 concerts will be staged during the year.

The donation will support the Health Arts Society's Concerts in Care program, which features concerts in communities across Canada for people in care, including the elderly and those isolated by illness or disability. BMO's gift will also be directed to the 450 concerts in the BMO National Concerts in Care Spring Festival, between April and May of 2012.

"We are extremely encouraged by BMO Financial Group's major three-year commitment to the Health Arts Societies' work, and are grateful for their vision," says David Lemon, Founder, Health Arts Society. "The BMO National Concerts in Care Spring Festival and the concerts throughout the year will bring delight to thousands of people in care and enables the societies to illustrate our two principal objectives: to bring first-class music performance to people isolated in care - especially frail elders - and provide a new source of work to artists."

Concerts in Care are given by some of the finest professional artists in the nation. In addition, the Health Arts Societies across Canada create special associations with senior music schools to bring emerging performers to audiences in care. Since 2006, when the first Health Arts Society was founded in British Columbia, the societies have presented more than 5,000 concerts.

"Residents, families and staff have not only appreciated, but been visibly moved by Health Arts Society concerts. For six years now these first class performances have contributed so much to the quality of life of those who live with us in residential care," said Linda Rose, Operations Director, Vancouver Coastal Health.

"BMO is committed to helping improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work," said Nada Ristich, Director, Corporate Donations, BMO Financial Group. "Not only does this donation bring the pleasure of high quality music to people in need, it provides rewarding work for musicians in many communities across Canada."

ABOUT HEALTH ARTS SOCIETIES

Seven not-for-profit societies, covering the ten provinces, arrange the concerts and raise funds to support them. Residences where the audiences live make contributions to the programs to enhance the quality of life of their residents, and a wide range of donors recognize the value of the Concerts in Care program, including health care authorities, individuals, foundations and corporations, and agencies of governments and municipalities.

Internet: www.healtharts.org

French Internet: www.samsante.org

ABOUT BMO FINANCIAL GROUP

Established in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group is a highly-diversified North American financial services organization. With total assets of $538 billion as at January 31, 2012, and more than 47,000 employees, BMO Financial Group provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions. For more than 194 years, BMO Financial Group has believed in community reinvestment and corporate and social responsibility in the communities it serves. In 2011, BMO contributed more than $66.4 million in donations, sponsorships and events in Canada and the United States to groups, organizations and programs that help build and sustain resilient, vital and healthy communities.

Internet: www.bmo.com

Twitter: @BMOmedia

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