Joint Statement by Canadian Banks and Life Insurance Companies Regarding Annual Meetings in 2023


TORONTO, Dec. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This is a joint statement issued by BMO, CIBC, Canadian Western Bank, Laurentian Bank, National Bank, RBC, Scotiabank, TD Bank Group, Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life, Manulife and Sun Life. Each of us continues to monitor the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the directives and recommendations from public health and government authorities. In the last few years, we have been taking a series of proactive precautionary measures to help protect the health and well-being of our employees, clients and communities. This degree of care and concern extends to all of our shareholders and policyholders. Although the COVID-19 situation has improved since the 2022 annual meeting cycle, we have been carefully considering alternatives for our respective meetings in light of the continued and unpredictable nature of COVID-19, and potential protocols recommended by public health authorities and organizations.

As a result, we have once again jointly obtained a court order that enables our 2023 annual meetings to be held, as electronic-only or as hybrid meetings, as determined by each financial institution. The order permits our meetings to be conducted over one or more of webcasting, teleconference or other electronic means, in each case in addition to, or instead of, an in-person meeting, and permits alternative means for distributing meeting materials. In March 2020, December 2020 and December 2021, we jointly obtained a similar court order. The order was obtained because Canadian banks and insurance companies are not permitted to conduct an electronic annual meeting in lieu of an in-person meeting without relief from the court.

We believe these are prudent and precautionary measures that balance public health and well-being with the ability of shareholders and policyholders to attend and exercise their rights. Each institution is committed to presenting their respective meeting in a manner that supports constructive shareholder engagement.

The specific arrangements for each annual meeting will be announced separately, by each financial institution, prior to the scheduled date. We encourage our shareholders and policyholders to visit our websites in advance of our annual meetings for the most current information.

Bank of Montreal
BMO Life Assurance Company
Media Relations
Jeff Roman
(416) 867-3996
jeff.roman@bmo.com

Investor Relations
Bill Anderson
(416) 867-7834
bill2.anderson@bmo.com
The Bank of Nova Scotia
Media Relations
Clancy Zeifman
(416) 520-3906 clancy.zeifman@scotiabank.com


Investor Relations
Sophia Saeed
(647) 973-6961
sophia.saeed@scotiabank.com

  
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Media Relations
Tom Wallis
(416) 980-4048
tom.wallis@cibc.com
Canadian Western Bank
Investor Relations
Chris Williams
(780) 508-8229
chris.williams@cwbank.com
  
Laurentian Bank of Canada
Media Relations
Merick Seguin
(514) 451-3201
merick.seguin@lbcfg.ca

Investor Relations
Andrew Chornenky
(416) 846-4845
andrew.chornenky@lbcfg.ca
National Bank of Canada
Media Relations
Marie-Pierre Jodoin
(514) 394-4209
mariepierre.jodoin@nbc.ca

Investor Relations
Marianne Ratté
1-866-517-5455
investorrelations@nbc.ca / relationsinvestisseurs@bnc.ca
  
Royal Bank of Canada
RBC Life Insurance Company
Media Relations
Gillian McArdle
(416) 842-4231
gillian.mcardle@rbc.com

Investor Relations
Asim Imran
(416) 955-7804
asim.imran@rbc.com
The Toronto-Dominion Bank
Media Relations
Elizabeth Goldenshtein
(647) 625-3124
elizabeth.goldenshtein@td.com

Investor Relations
Brooke Hales
(416) 307-8647
brooke.hales@td.com
  
Great-West Lifeco Inc.
The Canada Life Assurance Company
Media Relations
Liz Kulyk
(204) 391-8515
media.relations@canadalife.com

Investor Relations
Deirdre Neary
(647) 328-2134
deirdre.neary@canadalife.com
Manulife Financial Corporation
The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company
Media Relations
Cheryl Holmes
(416) 557-0945
cheryl_holmes@manulife.com

Investor Relations
Hung Ko
(416) 806-9921
hung_ko@manulife.com
  
Sun Life Financial Inc.
Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada
Media Relations
Rajani Kamath
(416) 979-6070
rajani.kamath@sunlife.com

Investor Relations
Yaniv Bitton
(416) 979-6496
yaniv.bitton@sunlife.com