- BMO commits $500,000 to create
the BMO Young Indigenous Leaders Program.
- The program will provide Indigenous forestry students with
tools and resources they need to make progress developing their
occupational skills and entrepreneurial potential.
MONTRÉAL, Nov. 15,
2023 /CNW/ - In partnership with Université
Laval, BMO today announced the
launch of the BMO Young Indigenous Leaders Program, an
initiative that will support forestry students through scholarships
for internships, specific community projects and mentorship
opportunities.
Led by Jean-Michel Beaudoin,
professor in the Department of Wood and Forest Sciences and Chair
of Educational Leadership in Indigenous Forestry, the program will
also provide forestry students with greater access to educational
resources and partnerships to help them make progress academically
and professionally. The program is made possible through a
$500,000 donation from BMO.
"For over 30 years, BMO has been building strong
relationships and providing consistent support to
270 Indigenous communities," said Grégoire Baillargeon,
President, BMO, Quebec. "The BMO Young Indigenous Leaders
Program supports progress for the next generation of Indigenous
entrepreneurs, enabling them to develop their full potential
through access to educational resources as well as mentoring and
business network development opportunities that promote a thriving
economy, sustainable future and inclusive society."
New horizons, without
barriers
In line with BMO's Purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in
business and life, the BMO Young Indigenous Leaders
Program will:
- Unlock the potential of Indigenous students, providing
Indigenous communities with specialized access to highly skilled
forestry experts.
- Support the development of a new generation of Indigenous
leaders.
- Significantly increase opportunities for young Indigenous
people to make progress through career opportunities that lead to
success in business, and ultimately help them become successful
leaders.
- Improve incomes and living conditions for Indigenous
individuals, families and communities.
- Develop sustainable development forestry practices and the
health of the forest ecosystems that are central to Indigenous ways
of life.
- Develop Indigenous expertise to build the capacity of forestry
sector organizations to work on projects where Indigenous presence
calls for new approaches.
"BMO and Université Laval share
a desire to showcase the voices, legitimacy and skills of young
First Nations leaders. This distinctive experiential program will
strengthen the development of their forestry skills and
entrepreneurial spirit. It will also foster their professional
integration and position them as experts in forest regions," said
Sophie D'Amours, Rector of Université Laval.
BMO engages with Indigenous customers, colleagues, and
communities across three pillars—education, employment and economic
empowerment—that rest on a platform of inclusion for all. Our
commitment to developing an inclusive society that is free of
barriers and to supporting the socioeconomic progress of Indigenous
communities includes the following:
- In September 2023, BMO launched
its BMO for Indigenous Entrepreneurs lending program,
providing Indigenous business owners with greater access to working
capital, educational resources, and professional partnerships to
start up, scale up, and accelerate their businesses.
- In support of Indigenous businesses, BMO has increased its
level of goods and services purchases from Indigenous
partners—surpassing in 2022 its commitment to spend $10 million annually with Indigenous-owned
businesses by 2023.
- BMO's commitment to mobilize $300
billion in sustainable financing by 2025 includes lending to
Indigenous businesses and communities in the structuring of our
Sustainable Bond program.
- For advancing Indigenous interests and economic development,
BMO has received Gold Certification in the Progressive
Aboriginal Relations (PAR) program seven consecutive times.
This program is administered by the Canadian Council for
Aboriginal Business (CCAB).
For more information about BMO's commitment to supporting
Indigenous communities,
visit www.bmo.engagements-autochtones.
BMO's commitment to Indigenous
communities
For over 30 years, BMO's Indigenous Banking Unit (IBU) has
been working with Indigenous communities to support their economic
self-determination. Through a network of branches and business
banking offices both on and off reserve, BMO has offered financial
products and services, including housing and renovation financing,
trust services, investment management solutions, and long-term
financing for on-reserve infrastructure and economic development.
In addition, BMO has partnered with First Nations University of
Canada to create the e-learning
course Nisitohtamowin, An Introduction to Understanding
Indigenous Perspectives in Canada, which is available to all for
free.
For more information about how BMO works with Indigenous
communities in Canada, click
here to view BMO's annual Indigenous Partnerships and
Progress Report.
About BMO Financial
Group
BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of
$1.25 trillion as of
July 31, 2023. Serving customers for 200 years and
counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees
providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth
management, global markets and investment banking products and
services to over 13 million customers across Canada, the United
States, and in select markets globally. Driven by a single
purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO
is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making
progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future and inclusive
society.
SOURCE BMO Financial Group