News Releases
- During this year as part of #BMO200, the bank invites Canadians to wish it forward in big and small ways at www.BMO200.com, or in-person at one of the interactive fountains
- This year also marks 105 years of working together between BMO and the Calgary Stampede – the bank's longest standing partnership ever
CALGARY, July 13, 2017 /CNW/ - BMO Financial Group announced today that it is donating over $7 million to neighborhood programs throughout the Calgary area to mark BMO's 200th year in business.
More than a dozen community organizations in Calgary, including the Calgary Stampede Foundation, are receiving donations from BMO in 2017, as a part of individual projects or multi-year pledges, including contributions to:
- Calgary Homeless Foundation, specifically the Resolve Campaign, a ten year plan to end homelessness, based on a model that has seen success in some U.S. cities. Funds are designated towards Accessible Housing and the Calgary Alpha House, which works with some of our most vulnerable citizens and addiction.
- Calgary Public Library, including the naming of the BMO Community Room at New Central Library;
- Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation, in support of the BMO Financial Group Endowed Research Fund in Paediatric Healthy Living; and
- Calgary Stampede Foundation, in addition to 2014 pledge of $2.5 million for the naming of the Youth Campus Amphitheatre.
Continued support of Arts & Culture will be seen by:
- National Music Centre, where BMO pledged $1 million in 2015 for the naming of BMO Soundscapes gallery space, an immersive, 360-degree audio-visual experience that explores Canada's music, culture and landscape; and
- Heritage Park Society, to which BMO pledged $1 million over ten years in 2016, for the refurbishment of the historic Colonist car #1202, one of the only two remaining colonist railway cars in the country.
"We are so pleased to mark our bicentennial year through community initiatives and donations across the country, that reinforce the bank's legacy of giving back," said Susan Brown, Senior Vice President, Alberta & NWT Division, BMO Bank of Montreal. "As Canada's first bank, we're proud of a history that shows a positive impact on the customers and areas where we do business, including in Alberta. We're especially enthusiastic about long-standing partnerships, like the Calgary Stampede, that allow us to have a memorable presence in the community, one that we hope will be unwavering for the next 200 years as well."
To add to the celebration in 2017, BMO will continue to grant wishes across a number of categories, such as Green, Togetherness, Legacy, and Community, through their BMO200 program. The bank is calling on individuals and organizations to wish it forward by visiting www.BMO200.com or by visiting one of the interactive BMO200 fountains, which can be found inside the BMO Centre on Stampede Park Grounds throughout the Stampede (July 7-16th).
To make a wish, please visit BMO200.com.
BMO's History in Calgary and the Calgary Stampede
BMO Bank of Montreal's ties to the Calgary Stampede are long and remarkable. The relationship between BMO and the Calgary Stampede is the oldest business relationship in Western Canada, dating back to 1884. BMO has been the banker to the Calgary Exhibition since 1899 when lands were christened at Victoria Park. The Agricultural Society had purchased 94 acres of land from the Dominion of Canada and built a race track, cattle sheds and an exhibition building. BMO continued as the banker in 1912 when the first rodeo took place and it became the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.
About BMO Financial Group
Established in 1817, and currently marking its 200th year of operations, BMO Financial Group is a highly diversified financial services provider based in North America. With total assets of $719 billion as of April 30, 2017, and more than 45,000 employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.
Web: www.bmo.com Twitter: @BMOmedia
SOURCE BMO Financial Group
