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Complaint Handling Process

B M O Financial Group’s complaint handling process is outlined in the Complaint Handling Process (PDF, 447 K), which is available online and at all B M O Branches. It outlines the complaint handling process for customers in Canada and is designed to put you in touch with the people who can help.

Whenever you need to talk to us, we'll be here to help.

You come first in everything we do. If you have a complaint, we encourage you to let us know and give us the opportunity to resolve the issue. We promise to address your complaint quickly, efficiently and professionally, because retaining your confidence is very important to us. This page is divided into three sections: Banking Complaints, Investment Complaints and Insurance Complaints and outlines how to escalate each type of complaint. Please refer to the section that your complaint relates to, so your concerns are referred to the right team.

Please refer to this section if your complaint relates to:

  • Chequing and Savings Accounts
  • Travel Insurance
  • Overdraft Protection
  • Credit Cards
  • Mortgages, Loans and Lines of Credit
  • GICs and Term Deposits
  • Business Banking
  • Commercial Banking
  • Creditor Insurance
  • Privacy

B M O’s complaint handling process is comprised of three steps.

B M O takes your complaints seriously and we will work to address your complaint quickly, efficiently, and professionally. We will also send a written acknowledgement of your complaint. The first step of the complaint handling process begins when you share your concerns with a B M O representative. If you are not satisfied with the outcome provided in step one, the second step is an escalation to a senior officer of the business. If you remain dissatisfied, the third step is an appeal to the Customer Complaint Appeal Office. These steps, and who to contact, are described on this webpage. In addition, details on when and how to contact Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI), the external dispute resolution provider, are also described on this page. Contact details for raising concerns are as follows: Note: When contacting us electronically do not send personal and/or financial information via unsecured email.

1. Sharing your Concern

Talk to a B M O representative at a branch, the office where your normally conduct your business or by calling BMO Virtual Connect at: B M O Virtual Connect
Personal Banking* Call: 1-877-225-5266
Business Banking Services* Call: 1-877-262-5907
B M O Credit Cards* Call: 1-800-263-2263 *For clients who are deaf or hard of hearing, B M O supports calls from third party relay service providers trained to relay communications through message relays (MRS) or video relays (VRS)
B M O Private Banking (Platinum Banking) Contact the Relationship Manager indicated on your account or by calling:. Call: 1-800-844-6442 Visit: bmo.com/privatewealth
Commercial Banking Contact your Relationship Manager Visit: commercial.bmo.com/en/ca/our-bankers
B M O Creditor & Travel Insurance Products (For insurance products offered through the Bank of Montreal including on mortgages, lines of credit and BMO Credit Cards) Contact B M O Virtual Connect : 1-877-225-5266

2. Escalate to a Senior Officer

If your complaint is unresolved after following Step 1 of the process or you wish to escalate your complaint, you can do so directly to a senior officer of the business. Your complaint will be automatically escalated to a senior officer if we are unable to resolve it at Step 1 within 14 days from the date you raised it. For matters relating to Personal and Business Banking, please contact:
B M O Bank of Montreal Senior Officer c/o Resolution Office Call: 1-800-372-5111 Email: Resolution.Office@bmo.com
If your concerns relate to Commercial Banking, please contact:
B M O Commercial Banking Headquarters Email: NACom.Compliance@bmo.com
If you are a B M O Platinum Banking customer, please contact:
B M O Private Banking (Platinum Banking) Senior Officer c/o B M O Platinum Banking Headquarters 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150, Toronto, ON M5X 1A1 Email: PlatinumBankingComplaints@bmo.com
For matters relating to Personal and Business Banking Collections, please contact:
Account Management Unit Senior Officer c/o Resolutions Department PO Box 3100 Streetsville ON, L5M0S1 Email: AMU.Resolutions@bmo.com
B M O Creditor Insurance Office of the President 9-250 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2L7 Call: 1-866-488-2595 Email: CreditorInsurance.Complaints@bmo.com

3. Escalate to the Customer Complaint Appeal Office (CCAO)

If your complaint is unresolved after following Steps 1 and 2, you may escalate to the Customer Complaint Appeal Office. The CCAO is employed by BMO Financial Group and is not an independent dispute resolution service. The CCAO does not report to any business area and is not involved in BMO’s business operations. The process is voluntary and focused on complaints for individual and small-business customers. If you allow CCAO to review your concerns, you can still escalate to the OBSI. The CCAO will review your concerns to determine if they are within its scope. The CCAO does not review certain types of complaints including business, credit, or risk management decisions, and matters that are, or have been, before a court. If the CCAO determines your concerns are within its scope, a review will be conducted and at the conclusion the CCAO may facilitate a resolution or support the outcome provided by Step 2. Customer Complaint Appeal Office contact 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150 Toronto, ON M5X 1H3 Call: 1-800-371-2541 Fax: 1-800-766-8029 Email: complaint.appeal@bmo.com Visit: bmo.com/customercomplaintappealoffice By requesting a review of your concerns by BMO’s Customer Complaint Appeal Office, you agree and acknowledge the terms of service that govern CCAO reviews which can be found at bmo.com/customercomplaintappealoffice. These terms provide that our response is confidential and intended solely to provide our views on your complaint. It is not for broader use, circulation or publication except that you may share it with the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments. You are also not prohibited from disclosing matters that are protected under whistleblower laws without notice or consent from BMO.

Contacting the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI)

OBSI is an independent and impartial dispute resolution service for consumers with a complaint they can’t resolve with their banking services or investment firm. The OBSI process is free of charge and confidential. If we cannot resolve your complaint internally within 56 days from the date we received your complaint, we will notify you of the potential delay and you will have the option to raise your complaint to OBSI. You may also escalate your complaint to OBSI if you remain dissatisfied with the outcome received from the CCAO. Please note that OBSI requires that complaints be escalated within 180 days of receiving BMO’s final response. Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments 20 Queen Street West, Suite 2400 P.O. Box 8, Toronto, ON M5H 3R3 Call: 1-888-451-4519 / 416-287-2877 Fax: 1-888-422-2865 Teletypewriter (TTY): 1-844-358-3442 Email: ombudsman@obsi.ca Visit: obsi.ca

Contacting The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

If your complaint is about the privacy of your personal information and remains unresolved, you may escalate to: The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada Call: 1-800-282-1376 Visit: www.priv.gc.ca

Alternative Options

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)

The FCAC supervises federally regulated financial institutions to ensure they comply with federal consumer protection laws and voluntary codes of conduct and public commitments. For example, financial institutions are required to provide consumers with information about complaint handling procedures, fees, interest rates and branch closures. If you have a complaint concerning a consumer protection law or voluntary code of conduct or public commitment, you may contact the FCAC at: Financial Consumer Agency of Canada 427 Laurier Avenue West, 5th Floor Ottawa, ON K1R 1B9 Call (English): 1-866-461-FCAC (3222) Call (French): 1-866-461-ACFC (2232) For calls from outside Canada: 613-960-4666 Teletypewriter (TTY): 1-866-914-6097 / 613-947-7771 Fax: 1-866-814-2224 / 613-941-1436 Visit: canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency.html Note: The FCAC does not provide redress or compensation and will not get involved in individual disputes. For a complete list of federal consumer-protection laws, voluntary codes of conduct and public commitments, visit: canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency.html

Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)

As the regulatory body for Quebec’s financial sector, the AMF protects consumers and enforces Quebec’s financial legislation and regulations. The AMF offers guidance to consumers in preparing formal complaints regarding investments (if GIC is issued by BMMC or TRCO) and insurance products. If you are dissatisfied with how your complaint has been handled, you may have your file transferred to the AMF. The AMF may review your complaint or offer voluntary mediation to help resolve a dispute. To arrange for the transfer of your complaint file, complete the transfer form available on the AMF website. If your complaint involves several institutions, you have the right to file a complaint with other institutions, intermediaries or agents involved in the complaint.
Autorité des marchés financiers 800, rue du Square-Victoria, bureau 2200 Montréal (Québec) H3C 0B4 Call: 514-395-0337 (Montreal) 418-525-0337 (Quebec City) Toll-free: 1-877-525-0337 Fax: 514-873-3090 Visit: lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints Legal Assistance You may consider retaining a lawyer, at your own expense, regarding your complaint. You should be aware that there are legal time limits for taking civil action called limitation periods. A lawyer can advise you of your options. Once the applicable limitation period expires, you may lose the right to pursue some claims.

Please refer to this section if your complaint relates to:

  • Our B M O Nesbitt Burns Inc. full service investment management firm
  • Our B M O InvestorLine Inc. online self-directed trading platform
  • A B M O Investments Inc. mutual fund product or service
  • A B M O Private Investment Counsel Inc service
  • A B M O Trust Company product or service
  • A B M O Asset Management Inc. product or service

1. Sharing your Concern

Talk to a representative at the branch or office where your complaint originated, or where you normally conduct your business. If your concerns remain unsolved, please involve the manager or supervisor. You can also refer to the complaint handling process or terms and conditions documents given to you when you opened your account to determine where to best raise your concern.

Alternatively, you may contact:

B M O Nesbitt Burns Inc. Contact your B M O Private Wealth Market Leader, as set out in your investment account statement.
B M O Investments Inc. Contact the Branch Manager at the branch indicated on your account statement.
B M O InvestorLine Inc. Call: 1-888-776-6886 Email: info@bmoinvestorline.com Visit: bmo.com/self-directed or bmo.com/advicedirect
B M O Private Investment Counsel Inc. B M O Trust Company Contact the Relationship Manager indicated on your account statement. Call: 1-800-844-6442 Visit: bmo.com/privatewealth
B M O Asset Management Inc. If you have a concern relating to services you have received from B M O Asset Management Inc., please contact your Relationship Manager directly. Call: 1-800-361-1392 Visit: bmogam.com/ca-en/contact/

2. Escalate to a Senior Officer

If your complaint is unresolved after following Step 1, you may escalate to the appropriate business group Senior Officer, listed below:
B M O Nesbitt Burns Inc. Designated Complaints Officer B M O Nesbitt Burns, Retail Compliance 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150, Toronto, ON M5X 1A1 Call: 1-866-391-5897 Email: BMONB.Complaints@bmonb.com
B M O Investments Inc. Office of the Chief Compliance Officer 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150, Toronto, ON M5X 1A1 Email: BMOIIcomplaints@bmo.com
B M O InvestorLine Inc. Designated Complaints Officer B M O InvestorLine, Compliance 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150, Toronto, ON M5X 1A1 Call: 1-888-776-6886 Email: info@bmoinvestorline.com
B M O Private Investment Counsel Inc. Office of the Chief Compliance Officer 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150 Toronto, ON M5X 1A1 Email: complaints.BMOPB@bmo.com
B M O Trust Company Office of the Chief Compliance Officer 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150 Toronto, ON M5X 1A1 Email: complaints.BMOPB@bmo.com
B M O Asset Management Inc. Office of the Chief Compliance Officer 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150 Toronto, ON M5X 1A1 Email: BMOAM.Institutional@bmo.com

Still not satisfied?

If you are dissatisfied with our review, you may escalate to either of the following options: Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) OBSI is an independent and impartial dispute resolution service for consumers with a complaint they can’t resolve with their banking services or investment firm. The OBSI process is free of charge and confidential. If your complaint is unresolved after a senior officer has provided a final response, or 90 days have passed since you originally raised your complaint to us, you may contact OBSI and ask them to review your complaint. Please note that OBSI requires that complaints be escalated within 180 days of receiving BMO’s final response. You may also escalate your complaint to OBSI if you remain dissatisfied with the outcome received from the CCAO.
Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments 20 Queen Street West, Suite 2400 P.O. Box 8, Toronto, ON M5H 3R3 Call: 1-888-451-4519 / 416-287-2877 Fax: 1-888-422-2865 Teletypewriter (TTY): 1-855-TTY-OBSI / 1-855-889-6274 Email: ombudsman@obsi.ca Visit: obsi.ca

Customer Complaint Appeal Office (CCAO)

The CCAO is employed by BMO Financial Group and is not an independent dispute resolution service. The CCAO does not report to any business area and is not involved in BMO’s business operations. The process is voluntary and focused on complaints for individual and small-business customers. If you allow CCAO to review your concerns, you can still escalate to the OBSI. The CCAO will review concerns to determine if they are within Its scope. The CCAO does not review certain types of complaints including business, credit or risk management decisions, and matters that are, or have been, before a court. If the CCAO determines your concerns are within its scope, a review will be conducted and at the conclusion the CCAO may facilitate a resolution or support the outcome provided by Step 2. Customer Complaint Appeal Office (CCAO) 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150, Toronto, ON M5X 1H3 Call: 1-800-371-2541 Fax: 1-800-766-8029 Email: complaint.appeal@bmo.com Visit: bmo.com/customercomplaintappealoffice By requesting a review of your concerns by BMO’s Customer Complaint Appeal Office, you agree and acknowledge the terms of service that govern our investigations which can be found at bmo.com/customercomplaintappealoffice. These terms provide that our response is confidential and intended solely to provide our views on your complaint. It is not for broader use, circulation or publication except that you may share it with the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments. You are also not prohibited from disclosing matters that are protected under whistleblower laws without notice or consent from BMO.

Contacting The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

If your complaint is about the privacy of your personal information and remains unresolved, you may escalate to:
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada Call: 1-800-282-1376 Visit: priv.gc.ca

Alternative Options

Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO)

CIRO is the self-regulatory organization in Canada that investigates complaints about mutual fund dealers and their representatives, and takes enforcement action where appropriate. You may make a complaint to the CIRO at any time, whether or not you have complained to us. CIRO does not order compensation or restitution to clients of Members. CIRO exists to regulate the operations, standards of practice and business conduct of its Members and their representatives with a mandate to enhance investor protection and strengthen public confidence in the Canadian mutual fund industry. CIRO has also entered into a Co-Operative Agreement with the Autorité des marchés financiers and actively participates in the regulation of mutual fund dealers in Quebec.
Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization Bay Adelaide North 40 Temperance Street, Suite 2600 Toronto ON M5H 0B4 Toll-free (Canada/US): 1-877-442-4322 Fax: 1-888-497-6172 Email: info@ciro.ca Visit: ciro.ca

Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)

As the regulatory body for Quebec’s financial sector, the AMF protects consumers and enforces Quebec’s financial legislation and regulations. The AMF offers guidance to consumers in preparing formal complaints regarding investments and insurance products. If you are dissatisfied with how your complaint has been handled, you may have your file transferred to the AMF. The AMF may review your complaint or offer voluntary mediation to help resolve a dispute. To arrange for the transfer of your complaint file, complete the transfer form available on the AMF website. If your complaint involves several institutions, you have the right to file a complaint with other institutions, intermediaries or agents involved in the complaint.
Autorité des marchés financiers 800, rue du Square-Victoria, bureau 2200 Montréal (Québec) H3C 0B4 Call: 514-395-0337 (Montreal) 418-525-0337 (Quebec City) Toll-free: 1-877-525-0337 Fax: 514-873-3090 Visit: https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints/making-a-complaint

Residents of Manitoba, New Brunswick or Saskatchewan

Securities regulatory authorities in these provinces have the power to, in appropriate cases, order that a person or company that has contravened securities laws in their province pay compensation to a claimant. The claimant is then able to enforce such an order as if it were a judgment of the superior court in that province. For more information, please visit:
Manitoba: msc.gov.mb.ca
New Brunswick: nbsc-cvmnb.ca
Saskatchewan: fcaa.gov.sk.ca
Legal Assistance You may consider retaining a lawyer regarding your complaint. You should be aware that there are legal time limits for taking civil action called limitation periods. A lawyer can advise you of your options. Once the applicable limitation period expires, you may lose the right to pursue some claims.

Please refer to this section if your complaint relates to:

  • B M O Insurance & B M O Estate Insurance
    • Term Life Insurance
    • Permanent Life Insurance
    • Income Annuity
    • Critical Illness Insurance
  • Insurance products purchased through B M O Estate Insurance Advisory Services Inc.

B M O Insurance & B M O Estate Insurance Advisory Services Inc.

1. Sharing your concern

B M O Insurance (for B M O Life Assurance products and services) Please contact B M O Insurance at 1-866-488-2595 , or your advisor if applicable.
B M O Estate Insurance Advisory Services Inc. Please contact the Advisor indicated on your account statement.

2. Escalate to a Senior Officer

If your complaint is unresolved after following Step 1 of the process or you wish to escalate your complaint sooner than 14 days, you can do so directly to a senior officer of the business:
B M O Insurance Office of the President 9-250 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2L7 Call: 1-866-488-2595 Email: Insurance.ResolutionOffice@bmo.com
B M O Estate Insurance Advisory Services Inc. Office of the Chief Compliance Officer 1 First Canadian Place P.O. Box 150, Toronto, ON M5X 1A1 Email: BMONB.Complaints@bmonb.com

3. Escalate to the Customer Complaint Appeal Office (CCAO)

If your complaint is unresolved after following Steps 1 and 2, you may escalate to the Customer Complaint Appeal Office. The CCAO is employed by BMO Financial Group and is not an independent dispute resolution service. The CCAO does not report to any business area and is not involved in BMO’s business operations. The process is voluntary and focused on complaints for individual and small-business customers. The CCAO will review your concerns to determine if they are within its scope. The CCAO does not review certain types of complaints including business, credit or risk management decisions, and matters that are, or have been, before a court. If the CCAO determines your concerns are within its scope, a review will be conducted and at the conclusion, the CCAO may facilitate a resolution or support the outcome provided by Step 2. Customer Complaint Appeal Office (CCAO) 1 First Canadian Place, P.O. Box 150 Toronto, ON M5X 1H3 Call: 1-800-371-2541 Fax: 1-800-766-8029 Email: complaint.appeal@bmo.com Visit: bmo.com/customercomplaintappealoffice By requesting a review of your concerns by BMO’s Customer Complaint Appeal Office, you agree and acknowledge the terms of service that govern our investigations which can be found at bmo.com/customercomplaintappealoffice.These terms provide that our response is confidential and intended solely to provide our views on your complaint. It is not for broader use, circulation or publication except that you may share it with OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI). You are also not prohibited from disclosing matters that are protected under whistleblower laws without notice or consent from BMO.

Contacting the OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI)

If you are a client of BMO Life Assurance Company or, alternatively, if you are a BMO wealth customer who has purchased insurance products through BMO Estate Insurance Advisory Services Inc., you may escalate your concerns to OLHI if you remain dissatisfied with the outcome received from the CCAO. OLHI is a national independent complaint resolution and information service for consumers of Canadian life and health insurance products and services, including life, disability, employee health benefits, travel health insurance, and insurance investment products such as annuities and segregated funds. OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance 2 Bloor St. West, Suite 700 Toronto, ON M4W 3E2 Call (English): 1-888-295-8112 Call (French): 1-866-582-2088 Visit: olhi.ca For a complete list of federal consumer-protection laws, voluntary codes of conduct and public commitments, visit: canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency.html

Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF)

As the regulatory body for Quebec’s financial sector, the AMF protects consumers and enforces Quebec’s financial legislation and regulations. The AMF offers guidance to consumers in preparing formal complaints regarding investments and insurance products. If you are dissatisfied with how your complaint has been handled, you may have your file transferred to the AMF. The AMF may review your complaint or offer voluntary mediation to help resolve a dispute. To arrange for the transfer of your complaint file, complete the transfer form available on the AMF website. Autorité des marchés financiers 800, rue du Square-Victoria, Bureau 2200 Montréal, QC H3C 0B4 Call: 514-395-0337 (Montreal) 418-525-0337 (Quebec City) Toll-free: 1-877-525-0337 Visit: lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints

Saskatchewan Residents

If you reside in Saskatchewan, you may contact the Superintendent of Insurance at: Superintendent of Insurance Insurance and Real Estate Division Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority 4th Floor, 2365 Albert Street, Regina, SK, S4P 4K1 Call: 306-787-6700 Email: fcaa@gov.sk.ca Website: fcaa.gov.sk.ca Legal Assistance You may consider retaining a lawyer, at your own expense, regarding your complaint. You should be aware that there are legal time limits for taking civil action called limitation periods. A lawyer can advise you of your options. Once the applicable limitation period expires, you may lose rights to pursue some claims.

Alternative Options

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)

The FCAC supervises federally regulated financial institutions to ensure they comply with federal consumer protection laws and voluntary codes of conduct and public commitments. For example, financial institutions are required to provide consumers with information about complaint handling procedures, fees, interest rates and branch closures. If you have a complaint concerning a consumer protection law or voluntary code of conduct or public commitment, you may contact the FCAC at: Financial Consumer Agency of Canada 427 Laurier Avenue West, 5th Floor, Ottawa, ON K1R 1B9 Call (English): 1-866-461-FCAC (3222) Call (French): 1-866-461-ACFC (2232) For calls from outside Canada: 613-960-4666 Teletypewriter (TTY): 1-866-914-6097 / 613-947-7771 Fax: 1-866-814-2224 / 613-941-1436 Visit: canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency.html Note: The FCAC does not provide redress or compensation and will not get involved in individual disputes.