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Charity partners receive $30,000 in pledges, Team in Training $769,000 raised

Vancouver, BC – May 23, 2012

BMO Vancouver Marathon Charity Impact Contributes hundreds of thousands of dollars to aid causes

Charity partners receive $30,000 in pledges, Team in Training $769,000 raised

Vancouver, BC, May 23, 2012 – The BMO Vancouver Marathon’s charity impact for 2012 has come in at close to $800,000. With thousands of runners putting their best foot forward to run for a cause, the impact is far reaching. Now the largest marathon in Canada, the BMO Vancouver Marathon’s Charity Program is also helping five local charities come out ahead.

Thanks to runner pledges during event registration, over $30,000 has been raised to support local charity partners. These include: causes that support cancer research, through the BC Cancer Foundation; pediatric palliative care, through Canuck Place Children’s Hospice; food donations, through the Greater Vancouver Food Bank; stroke prevention, through the Heart & Stroke Foundationand a home for out of town families coping with a child’s illness, through Ronald McDonald House.

Other groups who have raised money include Team In Training, whose 262 participants, running on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, raised $769,000. In the 12 years TNT has participated in the BMO Vancouver Marathon, over $12 million has been raised from this event alone. BMO Bank of Montreal participants have also contributed close to $9,000 for Canuck Place Children’s Hospice.

“These donations are truly amazing and we credit an engaged runner community for giving back to our local charities in this way,” said Charlene Krepiakevich, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Marathon Society. “Our charity program has become very popular and provides an incentive for more runners to donate to worthy causes.” She adds. “We also are delighted that organizations such as Team in Training are successful in catalyzing runners, to train, organize, and raise money in such a fulfilling way.”

The BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon is organized and operated by the Vancouver International Marathon Society, a non-profit organization. The event is recognized as Canada’s largest marathon with a 40-year history within Vancouver and the running community internationally.

For more information about the BMO Vancouver Marathon, please visit: www.bmovanmarathon.ca

About BMO

BMO has been serving British Columbians for 125 years with the first branch opening in Vancouver in August, 1887. Today, its 3,000 employees serve customers from 118 BMO Bank of Montreal branches, six BMO Nesbitt Burns offices and six BMO Harris Private Banking locations. BMO is also committed to corporate and social responsibility and the principles of sustainable development; proudly supporting education, health and social services and arts and culture in communities across the province.

Media Contacts

Deirdre Rowland, Media Relations Manager, 778-888-9974, [email protected]

Laurie Grant, BMO Media Relations, 604-665-7596, [email protected]

Twitter: @BMOVanMarathon Web: www.bmovanmarathon.ca

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