BMO's $4 Million Gift to Perimeter Institute to Accelerate Research and Innovation in Canada

Establishes the BMO Financial Group Isaac Newton Chair in Theoretical Physics at Perimeter Institute

WATERLOO, Ontario, November 29, 2010 - BMO Financial Group today announced a CDN$4 million investment in
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI), located in Waterloo,
Ontario, Canada. The strategic contribution establishes the BMO Financial
Group Isaac Newton Chair in Theoretical Physics at Perimeter Institute, and
represents the largest single donation ever made by BMO to support science.
It is also the largest corporate donation received by PI in its
ten-year history.

BMO's CDN$4 million investment will be matched by CDN$4 million in
private funds from PI's existing endowment for a total of CDN$8 million. It
is anticipated this private core funding will attract additional funding
partners. The Chair will be identified through a highly competitive and
rigorous international search and only scientists of the very highest
international calibre will be considered. The BMO Financial Group Isaac
Newton Chair in Theoretical Physics at Perimeter Institute represents the
first of five such positions to be named after scientists whose insights have
defined modern physics: Isaac Newton, James Clerk Maxwell, Niels Bohr, Albert
Einstein and Paul Dirac. The first Chair is named for Sir Isaac Newton,
considered by many to be one of the most brilliant and influential thinkers
in human history. He described the universal laws of gravitation and motion,
laying the groundwork for the modern scientific description of the physical
universe.

"Perimeter Institute is already a global leader in basic research, and
there is no question these Chairs will serve as a magnet for talent - a
'brain gain' - bringing even more of the best theoretical physicists to
Canada," said Bill Downe, President and Chief Executive Office, BMO Financial
Group. "The Institute's ambitious thirst for new knowledge places it at the
very frontier of discovery. Its thinkers can change our world by boldly
pushing the boundaries of our current understanding of physical laws. We
couldn't be more proud of this association and hope that our unique
investment in the BMO Isaac Newton Chair in Theoretical Physics will enhance
innovation in Canada and encourage other private sector donors to fund Chairs
at PI."

Neil Turok, Director of Perimeter Institute, said, "These five Chairs are
an integral part of Perimeter Institute's vision as it grows toward
pre-eminence as a world centre for foundational physics, bringing together
the most brilliant theoretical physicists of our time under one roof. We are
profoundly grateful for BMO's visionary investment in creating this inaugural
Chair. It is a made-in-Canada solution to the very real challenge of
attracting the best and brightest minds to our country."

Mike Lazaridis, Perimeter Institute's Founder and Board Chair, said,
"Theoretical physics has driven the most important insights and technological
advances in the history of humankind. Although the outcomes from basic
research may not be immediate, they are inevitable, and BMO recognizes that
in order to move science, technology and society forward, we must invest in
the breakthrough research that makes innovations possible. I sincerely
appreciate BMO's participation in the public-private partnership that is
driving PI forward."

About BMO Financial Group

Established in 1817 and based in Canada, BMO Financial Group serves more
than 10 million personal, commercial, corporate and institutional customers
in North America and internationally. Our operating groups - Personal and
Commercial Banking, BMO Bank of Montreal in Canada and Harris in the United
States; Private Client Group, our wealth management business; and BMO Capital
Markets - share one vision: to be the bank that defines great customer
experience. www.bmo.com

About Perimeter Institute

Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is an independent,
non-profit, scientific research and educational outreach organization where
international scientists cluster to push the limits of our understanding of
physical laws and develop new ideas about the very essence of space, time,
matter and information. The Institute, located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada,
also provides a wide array of educational outreach activities to share the
joy of scientific research, discovery and innovation. In partnership with the
Governments of Ontario and Canada, PI is a successful example of private and
public collaboration in science research and education.
www.perimeterinstitute.ca/

    For further information:

    Lisa Lambert
    Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
    +1-519-569-7600 x5051
    llambert@perimeterinstitute.ca

    Ralph Marranca
    BMO Financial Group
    +1-416-867-3996
    Ralph.marranca@bmo.com

For further information: Lisa Lambert, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, +1-519-569-7600 x5051, llambert at perimeterinstitute.ca; Ralph Marranca, BMO Financial Group, +1-416-867-3996, Ralph.marranca at bmo.com