Honouring
BMO's Historic Connections
with Canada's Armed Forces
The association between the Bank of Montreal (BMO) and the soldiers who have defended this country both in times of peace and war has been a long and historic one. BMO’s relationship with the Canadian Military begins within a year of its founding in 1817 when the bank began providing banking services to the Governor of Upper and Lower Canada to finance administrative and military life – like the agency at Ile-aux-Noix, Quebec, which existed until 1870 serving British Troops stationed there. During the First World War, BMO established temporary branches to pay troops at various encampments throughout Canada, and overseas Canadian men and women personnel were paid through its Waterloo Place office in London, England. As well, some 1,414 of the Bank’s own employees served in the Canadian Corps, which accounted for almost half of the bank’s entire staff at the time. Of these, sadly 230 never returned home.
Bank of Montreal War Monument
335 Main Street, Winnipeg MB
During the Second World War, The Bank’s president George Spinney headed the National War Finance Committee, which oversaw the sales of Victory Loan bonds. As before, almost 1,500 of the bank’s staff served in the Canadian Forces, with 84 giving their life in service to this country.
During the post war years when Canada had forces stationed in Europe, Bank of Montreal branches on these bases provided banking services for Canadian servicemen and women and their families.
BMO’s participation in The National Veterans’ Village Program of the Homes For Heroes Foundation continues its tradition of supporting those who have served this country in a uniform.
* This statue was crafted by the noted sculptor James Earle Fraser (1876-1953) and modeled after a member of BMO’s staff, Captain Wynn Bagnall MC, who served in France during the First World War. Located at the well-known intersection of Portage and Main, it is dedicated to those members of the Bank who enlisted and served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force from 1914-18.