Accessibility at BMO

Access a range of banking services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Telephone banking services

You can do a lot by phone: 

• Pay bills 
• Transfer money 
• Check your account balances 
• Get a list of recent transactions 
• Open new bank accounts 
• Change your contact information 
• Order cheques 
• Request a stop payment 
• Set up consolidated paper statements 

Choose one of the following phone numbers to access our banking services: 

• For English: Call 1-877-225-5266
• For French: Call 1-877-225-5266
• For Cantonese and Mandarin: Call 1-800-665-8800
• For clients outside Canada and the Continental U.S.: Call 1-514-881-3845

Online banking services

We aim to make our websites accessible to everyone. Since January 1, 2014, BMO is working towards developing all new webpages and web content on our websites in conformance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level A. 

Further, we are aiming to upgrade our websites in alignment with WCAG 2.0, Level AA standards, with possible permitted exceptions. 

We strive to make our content accessible to people who: 

• Use assistive technology, including screen readers and magnifiers 
• Have cognitive or physical disabilities, or cannot use a mouse 
• Rely on their web browser’s accessibility tools 

For clients who are deaf or hard of hearing, BMO supports calls from third party relay service providers trained to relay communications through message relays (MRS) or video relays (VRS). We also offer a call-back option for those that prefer not to wait on the line.

All our clients should be able to access our products and services. This begins with providing barrier-free access to our branches across the country.

Branch services

Today, 99% of Canadian BMO branches provide level or ramped entries, so they’re more accessible to clients with physical disabilities. Many branches also offer wheelchair-height seating at service counters.

ATM Services

Our ATMs are designed with accessibility in mind. We recently lowered the height of our ATMs to make them more accessible for clients using wheelchairs. 

To help clients with low vision, our ATM screens use contrasting bright colours, making instructions easier to read. Our ATMs use large pulsing light bars to direct clients to the card and deposit slots and they have large-character keypads. 

All our ATMs are audio enabled in English and French, to help clients with vision loss manage their banking. You can use headphones with our audio ATMs to get private voice instructions. ATMs support most standard headphones. 

We can arrange for our deaf, deafened and hard of hearing clients to get assistance from a professional Sign Language interpreter (ASL for English or LSQ for French) in branch, free of charge. 

If you’d like a Sign Language interpreter to attend your next branch visit, please give us two weeks notice to book one for you. To request an interpreter,  call 1-877-225-5266  or visit a BMO branch near you for assistance. 

We also support alternative ways of communicating at our branches, including: 

• Note and/or message writing 
• SMS (text) message 
• Using a client’s family member or friend as an interpreter 
• Engaging a client’s preferred sign language interpreter 

We offer important client information in alternate formats to make it more accessible. On request, we provide alternative formats of our clients documents, in English and French, in the following alternative formats at your branch or call 1-877-225-5266..

Large print

We offer large print documents upon request, for better readability. Our large print documents use Arial 16-point font. They also use extra spacing and improved contrast. 

We also offer cheques in large print. 

Braille

We offer Braille Grade 1 or Grade 2 bank statements when requested. 

We also offer cheques with or without perforated lines to provide tactical guidance for writing.

Audio

We offer statements in audio format upon request, recorded on a CD with a professional narrator reading the text.

E-text

E-text converts text to electronic files for clients who don’t have access to web or email. All graphics, including photos, charts and illustrations, are explained using text and stored electronically.

Accessible PDF

We offer PDFs that are tagged for accessibility, allowing the document to be read aloud in a logical way for persons who use assistive technologies, such as screen-readers.

Online documents

You can access your account information online by requesting paperless statements. Cut down on clutter and reduce environmental impact by going paperless. 

Alternate format statement includes the same information as your regular print statement, except for legal and other disclosures. We’ll still provide regular print statements in addition to the alternate format statements.

BMO is committed to creating a diverse workforce and an inclusive, supportive workplace where everyone is treated with respect. We recognize that we have a responsibility to provide a barrier-free work environment and equitable employment opportunities for all our employees.

Recruitment

BMO will accommodate job candidates and employees in accordance with governing law that protects against harassment and discrimination. We’re committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities throughout the entire recruiting process. 

Our recruiters are trained on workplace accommodation and accessibility needs for persons with disabilities. We also partner with community agencies and provincial employment offices to better match job seekers to opportunities and to better understand the accessibility needs of applicants.

Workplace accommodation for people with disabilities

Accommodating people with disabilities is an important part of our commitment to an inclusive, supportive and accessible workplace. We develop individual accommodation and return-to-work plans for employees who miss work due to a disability. 

We have a dedicated team within our Human Resources department that oversees the assessment, coordination and fulfilment of our accommodations policy. Our Workplace Accommodation Advisor works with employees and managers to ensure we meet all workplace accommodation needs quickly and efficiently.

Performance, career development and redeployment

BMO strives to meet the accessibility needs of all employees. Managers and HR teams work with employees to provide accommodations and remove barriers to performance, career development or redeployment. Managers work with BMO’s Workplace Accommodation Advisors to ensure employees receive the support and resources they need to succeed at work. 

Employees returning to BMO after a disability-related absence work with their manager and BMO’s Disability Recovery Support team to develop a return-to-work plan, for a smooth transition back to the workplace. Managers and support team members work proactively to prevent and remove any accessibility barriers an employee face.

Design of public spaces

It’s important that our branches and offices are accessible to everyone. To ensure our buildings are accessible, we follow the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (collectively “AODA”) for Design of Public Spaces Standards. 

To get construction permits, all new builds and renovations must meet or exceed local accessibility standards. Our Corporate Real Estate department works closely with Legal and Corporate Compliance and our building partners to ensure our spaces are fully accessible.