TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 11/20/12 -- BMO Financial Group has been named a top employer for the seventh consecutive year in the Greater Toronto Top Employer competition. This designation recognizes employers in the GTA that lead their industries in offering great places to work.

"BMO creates a workplace that welcomes diversity, encourages innovation, and provides tools, training and support so employees can perform at their very best," said Lynn Roger, Chief Talent Officer, BMO Financial Group. "Our company is one of Greater Toronto's largest employers and we are grateful to be recognized as one of its best."

GTA employers are evaluated by the editors of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" using the same criteria as the national competition. BMO ranked highly in all areas, and most notably for:

--  Training & Skills Development, A+ 
--  Community Involvement, A+ 
--  Financial Benefits and Compensation, A+ 
--  Employee Engagement, A 
--  Physical Workplace, A 

Judges highlighted the following:                                           

--  Ongoing employee development through subsidies for tuition and
    professional accreditation, as well as hundreds of course offerings
    through the bank's Institute for Learning in Scarborough. 
--  Progressive, flexible policies to accommodate employees with
    disabilities with accessible workspaces. 
--  Inclusive practices and policies, and managers trained to lead
    innovative, diverse teams. 
--  Retirement planning assistance that helps older workers prepare for life
    after work, generous contributions to a defined benefit pension plan and
    health coverage that extends into retirement (with no age limit). 
--  An enlightened sick-day policy that enables employees to request
    personal days off (called People Care Days) that may be used for
    everything from moving to extended family responsibilities. 
--  Multiple employee volunteer days, where employees are given time away
    from work to give back to their local community. 

Earlier in the year, BMO was selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers. The reasons for BMO's selection can be found at http://www.eluta.ca/top-employer-bank-of-montreal.

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.