CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwire) -- 11/22/12 -- BMO Bank of Montreal, the official bank of the Calgary Stampede, today opened the doors of its Toronto headquarters to visiting Calgarians.

Since 1948, supporters from Calgary have paraded their horse through a prominent landmark.

"BMO has always had a strong focus on supporting the communities in which we work and play, so we were thrilled to be able to greet visitors from Calgary and their horse Marty in Toronto and help them continue this long-standing tradition and show of civic pride," said Robert Hayes, Senior Vice President, Prairies Division, BMO Bank of Montreal.

Mr. Hayes noted that BMO's connection to the city of Calgary is rooted in supporting many of the city's marquee events, including the Calgary Stampede which BMO has sponsored for over 100 years. In addition, as the founding sponsor of Spruce Meadows, BMO Financial Group has a long and proud history of supporting equestrian sport in Canada.

"BMO is a part of many important, high-profile events in the Calgary area that allow us to connect with our customers and the citizens of Calgary in a meaningful way; being part of today's tradition is another example of that," added Mr. Hayes.

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.