Breaking down barriers and fostering inclusions begins with education, a first step we can all take and a critical gateway towards achieving equity and racial justice. We know education is a critical key to advancing inclusion, so we invest in training and educating our workforce to encourage understanding, self-identification and celebration of Indigenous peoples and cultures. Through our company-wide training program and our Indigenous Enterprise Resource Group (the Sharing Circle) we are committed to strengthening our relationship with Indigenous Communities.

Training for customer facing employees tailored to support Indigenous customer service
Training was created to assist branch employees to support Indigenous customers. We’ve completed tailored branch education training through 2020 to raise awareness and support Indigenous customer interactions.

Nisitohtamowin ᓂᓯᑐᐦᑕᒧᐃᐧᐣ eLearning
In 2020, BMO partnered with First Nations University of Canada and Reconciliation Education to develop a new eLearning, Nisitohtamowin ᓂᓯᑐᐦᑕᒧᐃᐧᐣ (‘Understanding’ in Cree) which provides an introduction to understanding Indigenous perspectives in Canada, to educate all Canadian employees and managers on Indigenous peoples and history in Canada. We’re proud to share that the course has been completed by 90% of BMO employees and will be available to public for the next three years.

Sharing Circle and Cultural Events
The Sharing Circle advocates for Indigenous colleagues and communities to champion learning and understanding through cultural celebrations and allyship. Engagement is strong with over 2,000 employees participating in National Indigenous People’s Day, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation/Orange Shirt Day and in employee listening sessions.