BMO builds on additional commitments to support the front lines in Canada and the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic

TORONTO, May 14, 2020 /CNW/ - BMO Financial Group today announced the conversion of the BMO Institute for Learning (IFL) into a home away from home for front-line healthcare workers. The space has been converted and is now a dedicated spot for doctors, nurses and other hospital professionals to rest in a safe and comfortable environment.

Around the world, the current pandemic is driving an increased demand for temporary lodging and care facilities to support healthcare professionals. BMO is uniquely positioned to offer the IFL, a self-contained learning and conference facility, to help meet this need by providing hotel-like guest rooms at no cost.

"Since the start of this pandemic, BMO's top priority has been the health and safety of employees, customers and the community," said Mona Malone, Chief Human Resources Officer, BMO Financial Group. "We want to do everything we can to help during these challenging times. Recognizing this increased need, BMO is in a unique position with the IFL to lend a place of rest to our healthcare partners in the local community. This is a small way we can give thanks to the hospital staff who are working tirelessly to keep our community healthy."

The donated space will kick off in partnership with Greater Toronto Areas Hospitals, with some guests on site as early as this week.

BMO IFL has donated 70 per cent of its hotel rooms, with the reduced capacity enabling proper physical distancing. BMO IFL was built in 1994 as a learning and collaboration space, and today it is one of the few standalone, corporate learning facilities in Canada. All learning, meetings and conferences have been cancelled for the foreseeable future.

BMO's hospitality partners, Dolce Hotels & Resorts and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, will help in driving this program forward. BMO will continue to work closely with partner hospitals and the bank's healthcare advisors to ensure best practices for sanitation and safety are strictly followed.

This initiative is the latest in a series of efforts from BMO to help support healthcare workers through the COVID-19 crisis:

• MLSE Partnership:
• This month Toronto's BMO Field underwent a remarkable transformation, from a world-class outdoor sports venue to a giant kitchen dedicated to boldly growing the good by providing nourishment to those in need. BMO is a founding partner of MLSE's "Bringing Toronto Back To Its Feet" program. This initiative will produce thousands of meals to support both front-line healthcare workers and Torontonians experiencing food insecurity.
• AIR MILES offer to front-line workers:
• BMO is thanking essential workers who are BMO AIR MILES Mastercard cardholders with an offer of 950 bonus Cash Miles, which is enough Cash Miles for $100 towards the purchases of gas, groceries and more.
• As BMO also operates outside of Canada, several initiatives of support continue to happen throughout the U.S.:
• BMO Harris Bank donated 23,000 N95 masks to hospitals and first responders in the Chicago area. Branch staff from across the area collected the masks from supply kits from past preparedness exercises.
• At a BMO Family Office in Palo Alto, California, employees donated nearly 3,000 N95 masks to four Bay Area healthcare providers, including Good Samaritan Hospital, the San Jose Public Health Department, Kaiser Permanente and Seton Medical Center.
• A BMO financial advisor in Green Bay, Wisconsin began creating face shields using his 3D printer and rallied the help of other individuals to use their personal 3D printers and supply materials. They currently have approximately 100 printers online and have distributed more than 6,000 face shields to local first responders and medical facilities in need.

About BMO Financial Group
Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $880 billion as of January 31, 2020, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2020/14/c8213.html