Winners of "Canada's Best Diversity Employers" for 2012 Announced

ORONTO, ONTARIO, Feb 21, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- The winners of this year's Canada's Best Diversity Employers competition, sponsored by BMO Financial Group, were announced today, recognizing 50 organizations that lead the nation in creating diverse and inclusive workplaces.

Each year, the editorial team at Canada's Top 100 Employers reviews the top employer pool to identify the leading organizations that have developed a wide range of initiatives, including programs for: women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, aboriginal peoples, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) peoples.

"We are seeing a significant expansion in the range of inclusiveness initiatives that leading employers offer," says Richard Yerema, Managing Editor of the Canada's Top 100 Employers project at Mediacorp Canada Inc., which oversees the selection process. "Employers with well-established diversity programs are moving beyond the groups that traditionally have been covered."

"As a founding partner of the competition, it's our hope that we can encourage all Canadian organizations to be Diversity Champions," said Lynn Roger, Senior Vice President, Talent Strategies and Executive Resourcing at BMO Financial Group. "It's encouraging to see that employers are working harder to see Canadians' talents instead of their differences, and accept their credentials instead of hiding behind preconceptions. In the end, all of us in our business community must work to ensure that all Canadians get the opportunity to prove themselves. Only through their participation and success will the barriers fall away.

"Through our own deep experience we know that diversity and inclusion is a 'must have' that leads to stronger corporate performance, more successful and engaged employees, and the delivery of relevant products, services and advice to our customers. BMO has been developing innovative diversity programs since 1989. Our Pre-Employment Training program for people with disabilities and the Ron Jamieson Aboriginal Scholarship and Internship program are just two very successful examples of how we reach out to groups that are under-represented in Canada's workforce. Finding new and innovative ways to help integrate Canadians and their skills into our operations is just the way we do things - it's how we help all of our employees reach their full potential," added Ms. Roger.

"The diversity conversation is changing," says Trevor Wilson, President of TWI Inc., the consulting firm that pioneered a diversity measurement methodology called The Equity Continuum and a founding partner of the competition. "Employers are realizing that inclusiveness starts with the individual, and extends beyond designated groups - real diversity initiatives aim to optimize the human capital each of us brings to an organization, based on our own unique backgrounds, abilities and life experiences."

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 $501 billion as at October 31, 2011 under IFRS, and more than 47,000 employees, BMO Financial Group provides a broad range of retail banking, wealth management and investment banking products and solutions.

BMO Financial Group funds the costs of managing the competition and, as a sponsor, is not considered for the award. BMO and TWI did not take part in the selection of winners. Mediacorp editors do this on the basis of the applications reviewed.

The editors' full reasons for why each of the 2012 winners was selected can be found at: http://CanadasTop100.com/diversity .

In alphabetical order:

        
        Agrium Inc.                             Newalta Corporation
        Amex Canada Inc.                        Northwestel Inc.
        BC Hydro                                Ontario Public Service
        Boeing Canada Operations Limited        Ottawa, City of
        Bombardier Aerospace                    Public Works and Government Services
                                                Canada
        Business Development Bank of Canada     Saskatchewan Government Insurance
        Cameco Corporation                      Saskatoon, City of
        Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce      SaskPower
        Capital District Health Authority       SaskTel
        Centre for Addiction and Mental Health  Seneca College of Applied Arts &
                                                Technology
        Corus Entertainment Inc.                Shell Canada Limited
        Deloitte & Touche LLP                   Stantec Consulting Ltd.
        Ernst & Young LLP                       Statistics Canada
        Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP              Stikeman Elliott LLP
        Health Canada-Sante Canada              TD Bank Group
        Hewlett-Packard Canada Co.              Telus Corporation
        Home Depot Canada, The                  TransCanada Corporation
        Human Resources & Skills Develop.       University of British Columbia
        Canada
        Information Services Corporation / ISC  University of Toronto
        Jazz Aviation LP                        University of Victoria
        KPMG LLP                                Vancouver, City of
        Loblaw Companies Limited                Workers' Compensation Board of
                                                Manitoba
        Manitoba Hydro                          Xerox Canada Inc.
        Manitoba, Government of                 YMCA of Greater Toronto
        Mount Sinai Hospital
        National Bank Financial Group
        
        

        
        Contacts:
        For Media Inquiries:
        Canada's Top 100 Employers
        Tony Meehan, Publisher
        (416) 964-6069 x9179
        
        BMO Financial Group
        Ralph Marranca, Director, Media & Public Relations
        (416) 867-3996
        
        TWI Inc.
        Trevor Wilson, President
        (416) 368-1968 x400