News Releases

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Nov. 14, 2012) - BMO Financial Group, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada and the AIR MILES Reward Program today announced the launch of a co-branded MasterCard that will generate a cardholder donation in support of WWF-Canada's mission, every time the card is used.

"The new BMO WWF-Canada affinity card gives our customers an easy way to support WWF's conservation work simply by using the card," said Nick Mastromarco, Director, Credit Card Products, BMO Bank of Montreal. "This partnership also allows BMO to expand its customer base; WWF-Canada is one of the country's leading environmental conservation organizations, with the active support of more than 150,000 Canadians."

Every time a customer makes a purchase with the BMO WWF-Canada affinity card, a percentage of the dollar value of the transaction goes directly to WWF-Canada. In addition to generating revenue for WWF-Canada, customers can earn AIR MILES reward miles or CashBack rewards when they use the card. Customers can also redeem the AIR MILES reward miles they earn to boost their support further - 190 reward miles can be redeemed for a tax-deductible $20 cash donation to WWF-Canada.

The BMO WWF-Canada affinity card provides cardholders with all the benefits of a regular BMO credit card, including convenience, security, purchase protection and the ability to earn AIR MILES reward miles or CashBack rewards. Plus, cardholders have a constant reminder in their wallets that they are fighting climate change, protecting the earth's species and conserving our oceans and fresh water.

"Our Collectors have told us that encouraging environmentally-friendly choices and supporting charitable giving through the AIR MILES Reward Program is important to them, and we are proud to extend this partnership with the launch of this new card," said Angela Simo Brown, General Manager, AIR MILES for Social Change. "The BMO WWF-Canada AIR MILES affinity card is another great and simple way AIR MILES Collectors can support the critically important work of WWF-Canada to conserve our planet for generations to come."

"We're excited that this partnership will give Canadians a new avenue for giving to WWF," said Hadley Archer, Vice-President of Strategic Partnerships, WWF-Canada. "We appreciate that Canadians are looking to do more with less today. We hope that this new opportunity to donate will bring additional support to our work on the most critical conservation challenges facing our planet."

BMO customers can choose from the following fee and no-fee cards to support WWF-Canada:

• BMO AIR MILES MasterCard (no fee)
• BMO CashBack MasterCard (no fee)
• BMO AIR MILES World MasterCard ($99 annual fee)
• BMO CashBack World MasterCard ($79 annual fee)

To view all the features and benefits of the BMO WWF-Canada affinity card, visit: www.bmo.com/wwf.

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 $542 billion as at July 31, 2012, and more than 46,000 employees, BMO Financial Group provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions.

About WWF-Canada

WWF is creating solutions to the most serious conservation challenges facing our planet, helping people and nature thrive. www.wwf.ca.

About AIR MILES Reward Program

Founded in 1992, the AIR MILES Reward Program is Canada's premier coalition loyalty program with more than 10 million active Collector accounts, representing approximately two-thirds of all Canadian households. The AIR MILES Reward Program allows Collectors to earn reward miles simply by doing their everyday shopping at more than 220 leading brand-name Sponsors, representing thousands of retail and service locations across Canada and leading global brands online. The AIR MILES Reward Program also allows Collectors to indulge in more than 1200 leisure, entertainment, merchandise, travel and a range of accredited, environmentally-friendly lifestyle rewards. With AIR MILES Cash, Collectors can also have the flexibility to instantly redeem their AIR MILES reward miles in-store towards many everyday and high value purchases like gas, grocery, drug store items and home improvement purchases at participating Sponsors.