MONTREAL, May 31, 2023
/CNW/ - BMO and CF Montréal announced today that both
organizations are taking another step forward in advancing gender
equity in sports by introducing a women's program to the CF
Montréal Academy.
As the Bank of Soccer, and inspired by its Purpose, to Boldly
Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is investing in
partnerships to help grow the game across North America and eliminate barriers to
inclusion.
The fundamental objective of the program and its sport-study
component is to allow student-athletes striving for athletic
excellence to achieve the best possible balance between their
athletic and academic pursuits. It also aims to feed the national
youth team pipeline and to elevate players to professional
environments.
"This partnership between BMO and the CF Montréal Academy will
contribute significantly to the advancement of gender equity in
soccer," said Grégoire Baillargeon, President, BMO, Quebec. "We're committed to eliminating
barriers to inclusion and we believe this new partnership between
BMO and CF Montréal will help inspire thousands of young women to
reach their full potential on and off the field."
The Club is taking over the Women's Excel Program (WEP), a
Soccer Québec national development centre that brings together the
best 15 to 18-year-old women players in the province.
The players will train and play their matches in Club uniforms
featuring the BMO logo, which makes BMO the jersey partner of all
CF Montréal teams. These players will benefit from the sporting
resources of the CF Montréal Academy. They will also benefit from
the additional platform and visibility offered by the Club as a
leader in the Quebec and Canadian
soccer landscape. The aim is to enable these players to showcase
their talents and achievements on the national and international
scene, by enhancing the pathway offered by Soccer Québec.
BMO has been a CF Montréal partner since 2012 and will now take
on an expanded role as a founding partner of the CF Montréal
Academy. BMO has demonstrated its commitment to gender equity
through its partnership with Ontario Soccer where BMO is
supporting over 100,000 girls and women through new gender equity
and empowerment initiatives, and through its sponsorship of Angel
City FC, the largest women-led ownership group in professional
sports.
CF Montréal's strategy for growing women's soccer is based on
three pillars: developing tomorrow's talent, shining a light on
women's soccer and inspiring a new generation of leaders.
"This is incredible news and a wonderful advancement for women's
soccer. I would like to thank BMO for its support over so many
years for both the Club and the next generation of players," said
Gabriel Gervais, President and CEO
of CF Montréal. "Quebec is home to
a pool of highly talented women players. . By launching this girls
program, we want to offer these players the best path to a
professional career and help them achieve their dreams. We also
want to develop good citizens through the sport-study programs,
empowering them with good education, while transmitting the Club's
values. This project aligns with our organization's mission to give
back to the community through sports, as the Saputo family has been
doing so well for 30 years."
BMO will support the Club in this strategy and joint initiatives
will be launched later this summer. Notably, there will be a week
dedicated to women's soccer from July 10 to
15, with the goal of highlighting women in sport and raising
public awareness of the work that still needs to be done to ensure
gender parity and promote the sport among young women. The week
will conclude with a special evening at Stade Saputo during the
match against Charlotte FC, presented by BMO. CF Montréal and BMO
also aim to host the final of the Ligue1 Québec Women's Cup in its
facilities to allow as many people as possible to attend a women's
soccer match, as well as a Women's All-Star Game as it did in
2022.
About the Women's Excel Program
Based in Laval, under the responsibility of Soccer Québec,
the Women's Excel Program represents one of
three Excel Super Centres in Canada. The National Centres bring together
the best 15- to 18-year-old players in the country to offer them an
elite intra-squad environment with the aim of developing a greater
number of players of international calibre. The fundamental
objective of the program and its sport-study component is to allow
student-athletes striving for athletic excellence to achieve the
best possible balance between their athletic and academic pursuits.
It also aims to feed the national youth team pipeline or to elevate
players to professional environments. Players entering the program
must have the desire and potential to one day play at the
professional level.
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 April 30, 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.
About CF Montréal
Founded in 1992, and having completed its first season in 1993,
CF Montréal is a professional soccer club that has been playing in
Major League Soccer since 2012. It has won the Canadian
Championship five times (2008, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021), and has
also reached the Concacaf Champions League final in 2015, as well
as the competition's quarterfinals in 2009 and 2022. CF Montréal
plays its home games at Stade Saputo, a 19,619-seat soccer-specific
venue, and on some occasions at the Montreal Olympic Stadium.
In 2010, the organization created the CF Montréal Academy, a
soccer training centre that brings together more than 70 players
aged 14 to 20. CF Montréal was the first professional club in
North America to offer a
sport-study program. The Club's development structure also includes
the U13 and U14 Pre-Academy teams. The Club's partners (CIP) and
regional programs also allow it to reach nearly 1,000 additional
players from U8 to U12.
Through the Montreal Impact Foundation, which celebrates its
10th anniversary this year, CF Montréal remains highly involved in
the community. Its mission is to organize and support activities to
improve the quality of life of children and families from
underprivileged backgrounds. It also provides sports facilities to
promote physical activity and social integration.
SOURCE BMO Financial Group