News Releases

MILTON, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 14, 2014) - BMO Financial Group has announced a $1 million donation to the Smilezone Foundation. The gift was presented at the Smilezone Foundation Celebrity Golf Tournament, held at Rattlesnake Point Golf Club in Milton, Ontario.

Smilezone was founded two years ago by Adam Graves, a former NHL player with the New York Rangers, and Scott Bachly, CEO, Bachly Construction, aimed at providing assistance to families with children facing illnesses, disabilities, and physical and emotional obstacles. By funding the development and transformation of areas in hospitals, rehab centres, development centres, and children's clinics, Smilezone is able to help improve the physical environment in which the care is given, and thereby improving the overall experience.

Smilezone's first two installations were completed at ErinOak Kids Centre for Treatment and Development - across multiple sites in Mississauga, Ontario - which address the needs of approximately 13,000 children annually. Most recently, Smilezone opened a new facility at the Grand River Hospital, located in Kitchener, Ontario.

"The support of BMO will play a critical role in ensuring children across the country have access to enhanced spaces in hospitals, rehab centres, development centres, and children's clinics," said Adam Graves, Co-Founder and Chair, Smilezone Foundation. "With this donation, the Smilezone Foundation looks forward to constructing additional spaces - such as our multiple installations at the new Oakville hospital next year - designed to put smiles on the faces of children."

"As a community bank, BMO is part of the fabric in cities and regions across the country," said Janet Peddigrew, Vice President & Managing Director, Ontario Region, BMO Harris Private Banking. "We are pleased to work alongside an organization that truly makes a difference in the lives of families facing challenging times."

Funds raised will be allocated to healthcare facilities across the country, providing improvements to recovery rooms, patient care rooms, chemo rooms, treatment rooms and outdoor play zones. Specifically, the goal is to offer a much-needed reprieve for families and children facing illness.

BMO Donations

For more than 195 years, BMO Financial Group has believed in community reinvestment and corporate and social responsibility in the communities it serves. In 2013, BMO contributed more than $56 million in community donations to charitable, not-for-profit and community based institutions and organizations that help build and sustain resilient, vital and healthy communities.

About BMO Financial Group

Established in 1817 as Bank of Montreal, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services organization based in North America. The bank offers a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers. BMO Financial Group had total assets of $582 billion and more than 45,500 employees at April 30, 2014.