BMO Capital Markets Opens Institutional Sales and Trading Office in Paris

PARIS -

- BMO Committed to Become the Leading Canadian Equity Franchise in Europe

- With Photo

BMO Capital Markets, the investment and corporate banking arm of BMO Financial Group (TSX, NYSE: BMO), today announced it has opened an office in Paris, France - BMO’s 27th global office - as part of its strategy to broaden its institutional equity sales and trading services for European clients.

The new office makes BMO Capital Markets the only Canadian investment dealer to have four equity offices in Europe and will significantly bolster the firm’s current global institutional equity sales capabilities. BMO will now have equity desks in 11 cities: Toronto, New York, Paris, London, Zurich, Lugano, Montreal, Vancouver, Boston, Houston and San Francisco.

“Being in Paris is a key component of our plan to become the leading Canadian equity franchise in Europe,” said Bill Downe, President and Chief Executive Officer of BMO Financial Group, who is in Paris today to mark the official opening of the new office. “With this opening, we are well- positioned to offer our European clients a clear window on North American markets,” added Mr. Downe.

Matthieu Debost joins the Paris office as Managing Director and Head of European Sales, BMO Capital Markets. He brings a new group, which includes six equity sales professionals, all of whom come from a global investment bank and have experience in covering a broad cross-section of stocks. The new team becomes part of BMO’s highly regarded European institutional equity sales group and will contribute greatly to BMO’s ability to leverage its traditional business strengths of research and trading to European clients.

“Our European clients will benefit from BMO Capital Markets’ long tradition of excellence in research and trading, including coverage of more than 900 U.S., Canadian and international stocks,” said Mr. Debost.

“Our clients have also told us they want insight into companies dealing with “hard” assets, such as mining and energy - and, that’s what we specialize in at BMO Capital Markets, giving our clients access to some of North America’s most successful companies,” added Mr. Debost.

BMO Capital Markets has been committed to the global resources sector for nearly a century. BMO’s Equity Research Group actively covers more than 100 metals and mining companies, with plans to increase that number to make BMO the largest resources research group globally.

Prior to joining BMO, Mr. Debost spent 19 years at a global investment bank where he most recently served as the head of Canadian equity sales in Europe since 2002. Mr. Debost, who moved to Paris in 1991 from Toronto, holds a Baccalaureat from College Notre-Dame de Sainte-Croix in Neuilly, France, as well as a Master of Laws and Master of Business & Tax Laws from the University of Paris.

About BMO Capital Markets

BMO Capital Markets is a leading full-service North American financial services provider, with over 2,400 employees operating in 14 North American offices and 27 worldwide, offering corporate, institutional and government clients access to a complete range of investment and corporate banking products and services. BMO Capital Markets is a member of BMO Financial Group (TSX, NYSE: BMO), one of the largest diversified financial services providers in North America with US$385 billion total assets and 37,000 employees as at July 31, 2009.

For further information: For News Media Inquiries: Matthieu Debost, Paris, matthieu.debost@bmo.com, +1-331-4450-4383; Paul Deegan, Toronto, paul.deegan@bmo.com, +1-416-867-3996; Ronald Monet, Montreal, ronald.monet@bmo.com, +1-514-877-1873; For Investor Relations Inquiries: Viki Lazaris, Toronto, viki.lazaris@bmo.com, +1-416-867-6656; Steven Bonin, Toronto, steven.bonin@bmo.com, +1-416-867-5452; Internet: www.bmocm.com

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Source: BMO Capital Markets

For further information: For News Media Inquiries: Matthieu Debost, Paris, matthieu.debost at bmo.com, +1-331-4450-4383; Paul Deegan, Toronto, paul.deegan at bmo.com, +1-416-867-3996; Ronald Monet, Montreal, ronald.monet at bmo.com, +1-514-877-1873; For Investor Relations Inquiries: Viki Lazaris, Toronto, viki.lazaris at bmo.com, +1-416-867-6656; Steven Bonin, Toronto, steven.bonin at bmo.com, +1-416-867-5452