News Release

BMO Financial Group's Karen Maidment Named Canada's CFO of the Year for 2006

TORONTO, April 18, 2006 - Karen Maidment, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of BMO Financial Group has been chosen as Canada's CFO of the Year™ for 2006. Ms. Maidment will be honoured at a gala dinner on May 4 in Toronto.

Canada's CFO of the Year Award is presented annually by Financial Executives International Canada (FEI Canada) and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, in association with The Caldwell Partners International, to honour and recognize the quality, insight, direction and leadership of Canada's senior financial leaders. This is the fourth year the award has been presented.

"The award holds an important place in corporate Canada," says Chris Clark, FCA, CEO and Canadian Senior Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers. "It honours the accomplishments of an individual who has demonstrated excellence in financial leadership and it also acknowledges all financial executives whose dedication and knowledge contribute daily to the health of our capital markets."

Ms. Maidment was named Canada's CFO of the Year by an independent committee composed of some of Canada's most prominent business leaders. The criteria by which nominees were judged centred around five key attributes: Vision and Leadership, Corporate Reporting and Performance, Social Responsibility, Innovation and Global Competitiveness. Candidates for the award were nominated in all business sectors by CEOs, members of boards of directors, financial analysts and other senior executives.

"The response to this award from corporate Canada has been outstanding and an affirmation of the importance companies place on sound financial management," says Isabel Meharry, President and Chief Executive Officer at FEI Canada. "Moreover, in the last four years, this award has shown the increased leadership role that CFOs are taking within organizations."

Previous recipients of Canada's CFO of the Year Award include:

2005: Claude Mongeau, Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer of CN
2004: Peter Rubenovitch, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Manulife Financial Group
2003: Peter W. Currie, former Vice-Chairman and Chief Financial Officer of RBC Financial Group and current Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer Nortel Networks Corporation.

Canada's CFO of the Year Award is supported through the generous support of American Express, the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA), Marsh Canada Limited, Fasken Martineau and The Fairmont Royal York. The media sponsor is The Globe and Mail.

Media are invited to cover the May 4th award gala at The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto, but must register to attend. To indicate your attendance and arrange for interviews and camera space, please contact Carolyn Forest at +1 416 814 5730 or press.contact@ca.pwc.com. Note: the event begins at 6:00 pm.

About Financial Executives International Canada (FEI Canada)

Financial Executives International (FEI) Canada is an all-industry professional association for senior financial executives. With 11 chapters across Canada and over 1700 members, we are an integral part of a larger 15,000 member North American organization. Together, FEI members in Canada and the United States represent 8,000 of North America's leading and most influential corporations.

Membership is generally restricted to senior financial officers of medium to large organizations. FEI Canada provides many valuable services to its members including peer networking opportunities; emerging issues alerts; personal and professional development; and advocacy services. We do this principally through our internet community, our chapters in various major centres across the country, and our national technical committee structure.

Membership is limited to individuals holding senior management positions, but we do allow certain other finance professionals to join if they meet stringent criteria. Most FEI members are Chief Financial Officers, Controllers, Treasurers, Tax Executives, Finance and Accounting Professors. For more information, visit www.feicanada.org.

About PricewaterhouseCoopers

PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwc.com) provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than 130,000 people in 148 countries work collaboratively using Connected Thinking to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice. In Canada, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (www.pwc.com/ca) and its related entities have more than 4,300 partners and staff in offices across the country.

(Unless otherwise indicated, "PricewaterhouseCoopers" refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Canada, an Ontario limited liability partnership. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Canada, is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited.)