GORE BAY—The Bank of Montreal is celebrating its 200th birthday on November 3, 2017. To start the celebrations, each BMO branch across Canada is celebrating their own birthday.
The Bank of Montreal in Gore Bay celebrated its 114th birthday this past Tuesday. “I am very proud to be part of BMO’s 200 year journey and would like to thank all of our customers throughout the years for their loyalty and business,” said Deborah Woods, branch manager, Gore Bay. “BMO has the best customers, but they are more than customers to my team and I. We see our customers as friends and family.”
“It has been a pleasure to work for such a great company and work with an amazing team,” said Ms. Woods. “When you love your job and team it does not feel like you are going to work every day. We look forward to another 114 years serving our community.”
The Gore Bay BMO birthday party included an open house, snacks and give aways.
Originally an office of the Merchants Bank of Canada (1903-1912) was opened, which then merged with the Bank of Montreal. “When the (Gore Bay BMO) bank was established there was a daily boat service across the North Channel and in the winter, passengers and mail were carried across the ice by horse-drawn sleigh,” explained Ms. Woods.
She pointed out, “Bank of Montreal issued Canada’s first native currency, founded the branch banking system and played a major part in financing Canada’s first trans-continental railroad.”
The first BMO was opened on St. Paul Street in old Montreal on March 3, 1817 and BMO has continued to grow with over 900 branches across Canada and is a major international bank with connections around the world serving over seven million customers.
The Gore Bay BMO was located in the old Credit Union location from 1912-1968 and has been in its current location on Meredith Street in Gore Bay from September 1968 to the present. The local branch became wheelchair accessible in October 1991, and in January 1995 Instabank services were established.
The Manitowaning BMO celebrated its 100th birthday on March 7, with Mindemoya celebrating its 98th birthday (which is actually March 19) on March 17. Little Current BMO will celebrate its 115th birthday on September 29.
