Now available at bmo.com/appointment, BMO becomes the first major financial institution to offer a real-time online appointment booking capability. Earlier this year, bmo.com received top marks among Canadian financial institutions for overall customer experience, according to Keynote Systems, a global authority on mobile and internet performance.

"Canadians are looking for easier and less time-consuming ways to bank, including added convenience and the option to self-manage based on their busy schedule," said Andrew Irvine, Senior Vice President, BMO Bank of Montreal. "With more than half of our personal banking customers using online banking, BMO's online appointment booking tool will make it easier for our customers to schedule one-on-one meetings with one of our financial professionals - which is an important step in successfully planning for and achieving financial goals."

Mr. Irvine added that 1.5 million appointments are booked each year, either face-to-face in branches or by phone. The new online appointment booking capability will allow current and prospective customers to self-book appointments quickly and conveniently.

The launch of BMO Bank by Appointment is part of BMO's ongoing commitment to 'Making Money Make Sense'. Since 2009, BMO has introduced various tools to help Canadians stay on top of their personal finances, including BMO MoneyLogic, BMO SmartSteps, BMO SmartSteps for Parents, BMO SmartSteps for Students, BMO SmartSteps for Business, BMO SmartSteps for Investing and BMO SmartSteps for Homeowners.