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Joint Statement By Canadian Banks And Life Insurance Companies Regarding Annual Meetings In 2023

 

December 8, 2022

 

TORONTO – 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

 

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce

Media Relations
Tom Wallis
(416) 980-4048
tom.wallis@cibc.com

 

Laurentian Bank of Canada

Media Relations
Merick Seguin
(514) 451-3201
merick.seguin@lbcfq.ca

Investor Relations
Andrew Chornenky
(416) 846-4845
andrew.chornenky@lbcfg.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

 

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

 

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
investor_­relations@sunlife.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 Western Bank

Investor Relations
Chris Williams
(780) 508-8229
chris.williams@cwbank.com

 

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

 

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

 

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