Registration Statement No. 333-217200
Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)

The information in this preliminary pricing supplement is not complete and may be changed. This preliminary pricing supplement is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Preliminary Pricing Supplement, subject to completion, dated April 10, 2018

PRICING SUPPLEMENT dated             , 2018

(to prospectus dated April 27, 2017 and

prospectus supplement dated April 27, 2017)

US$

Senior Medium-Term Notes, Series D

consisting of

US$                % Senior Notes due 2021

US$                Floating Rate Notes due 2021

This is an offering of US$        aggregate principal amount of our    % Senior Notes due 2021, which we refer to as the “Fixed Rate Notes” and US$                aggregate principal amount of our Floating Rate Notes due 2021, which we refer to as the “Floating Rate Notes” and, together with the Fixed Rate Notes, the “Notes”. The Fixed Rate Notes will mature on            , 2021 and the Floating Rate Notes will mature on            , 2021. We will pay interest on the Fixed Rate Notes semi-annually on each                and                , beginning on             , 2018. We will pay interest on the Floating Rate Notes quarterly on each                ,                ,                 and                , beginning on            , 2018.

We may redeem each tranche of Notes in whole at any time upon the occurrence of certain events pertaining to Canadian taxation at 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption. See “Specific Terms of the Notes — Tax Redemption.”

The Notes will be our senior unsecured obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all of our existing and future unsubordinated, unsecured indebtedness. The Notes will be issued only in registered book-entry form, in minimum denominations of US$2,000 and integral multiples of US$1,000 in excess thereof.

Investing in the Notes involves risks, including the risks described in the “Risk Factors” section on page PS-2 of this pricing supplement, those described in the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page S-1 of the accompanying prospectus supplement and those described in management’s discussion and analysis included in our Annual Report on Form 40-F for the year ended October 31, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, dated April 27, 2017, as supplemented by the accompanying prospectus supplement, dated April 27, 2017, and this pricing supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these Notes or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this pricing supplement or the accompanying prospectus and prospectus supplement. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The Notes will be our senior unsecured obligations and will not be savings accounts or deposits that are insured by the United States Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Bank Insurance Fund, the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (the “CDIC”) or any other governmental agency or instrumentality or other entity.

The underwriters expect to deliver the Notes through the book-entry delivery system of The Depository Trust Company on or about            , 2018.

The date of this pricing supplement is            , 2018.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

We are responsible for the information contained or incorporated by reference in this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, and in any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered to you. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to give you any other information, and take no responsibility for any other information that others may give you. We are not, and the underwriters are not, making an offer to sell the Notes in any jurisdiction where the offer or

PS-i

sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information contained in this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, the documents incorporated by reference or any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered to you is accurate as of any date other than the dates thereon. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

This pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been prepared on the basis that any offer of Notes in any member state (the “Member States” and each, a “Member State”) of the European Economic Area (“EEA”) will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Directive from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of Notes. Accordingly, any person making or intending to make an offer in that Member State of Notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated in this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for Bank of Montreal or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive in relation to such offer.

The expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Member State concerned.

The Notes are not intended to be offered, sold or otherwise made available to and should not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the EEA. For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2002/92/EC, as amended, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II; or (iii) not a qualified investor as defined in the Prospectus Directive, and the expression “offer” includes the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe the Notes. Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the Notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation.

This pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are for distribution only to persons who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the “Financial Promotion Order”), (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (“high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.”) of the Financial Promotion Order, (iii) are outside the United Kingdom, or (iv) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). This pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

PS-ii

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement, dated April 27, 2017 (the “accompanying prospectus supplement”), and the accompanying prospectus, dated April 27, 2017 (the “accompanying prospectus”), the information in certain documents we file with it. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. The modifying or superseding statement need not state that it has modified or superseded a prior statement or include any other information set forth in the document that it modifies or supersedes. In other words, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus and information incorporated by reference, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later. The making of a modifying or superseding statement shall not be deemed an admission for any purposes that the modified or superseded statement, when made, constituted a misrepresentation, an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact that is required to be stated or that is necessary to make a statement not misleading in light of the circumstances in which it was made. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

We incorporate by reference the following documents and all documents that we subsequently file with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the SEC rules) pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), until the termination of the offering of the Notes under this pricing supplement:

We may also incorporate any other Form 6-K that we submit to the SEC on or after the date hereof and prior to the termination of the offering of the Notes under this pricing supplement if the Form 6-K filing specifically states that it is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement of which the accompanying prospectus, as supplemented, forms a part.

We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this pricing supplement is delivered, upon his or her written or oral request, a copy of any or all documents referred to above which have been or may be incorporated by reference into this pricing supplement excluding exhibits to those documents, unless they are specifically incorporated by reference into those documents. You may obtain copies of those documents by requesting them in writing or by telephoning us at the following address: Bank of Montreal, 100 King Street West, 1 First Canadian Place, 21st Floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5X 1A1, Attention: Corporate Secretary; Telephone: (416) 867-6785.

PS-1

RISK FACTORS

Before deciding whether to invest in the Notes, you should carefully consider the following and the risks described in documents incorporated by reference, including those described in the “Risk Factors” section beginning on page S-1 of the accompanying prospectus supplement and those described in management’s discussion and analysis included in our Annual Report on Form 40-F for the year ended October 31, 2017, which is incorporated by reference in the accompanying prospectus, dated April 27, 2017, as supplemented by the accompanying prospectus supplement, dated April 27, 2017, and this pricing supplement.

Changes to LIBOR may adversely affect holders of the Floating Rate Notes.

Regulators and law enforcement agencies from a number of governments have been conducting investigations relating to the calculation of LIBOR across a range of maturities and currencies, and certain financial institutions that are member banks surveyed by the British Bankers’ Association (the “BBA”) in setting daily LIBOR have entered into agreements with the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission and/or the Financial Services Authority in order to resolve the investigations. Since April 2013, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) has regulated LIBOR.

Actions by the BBA, regulators or law enforcement agencies may result in changes to the manner in which LIBOR is determined or the establishment of alternative reference rates. For example, on July 27, 2017, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority announced that it intends to stop persuading or compelling banks to submit LIBOR rates after 2021. At this time, it is not possible to predict the effect of any such changes, any establishment of alternative reference rates or any other reforms to LIBOR that may be implemented in the United Kingdom or elsewhere. Uncertainty as to the nature of such potential changes, alternative reference rates or other reforms may adversely affect the trading market for the Floating Rate Notes, the interest on which is determined by reference to three-month LIBOR (as defined herein). If the calculation agent determines on an Interest Determination Date (as defined herein) that three-month LIBOR has been discontinued, then the calculation agent will use a substitute or successor base rate that it has determined in its sole discretion is most comparable to three-month LIBOR, provided that if the calculation agent determines there is an industry-accepted successor base rate that shall have replaced three-month LIBOR in the relevant market at the relevant time, then the calculation agent shall use such successor base rate. If the calculation agent has determined a substitute or successor base rate in accordance with the foregoing, the calculation agent in its sole discretion may determine the business day convention, the definition of business day and the interest determination dates to be used, and any other relevant methodology for calculating such substitute or successor base rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such substitute or successor base rate comparable to three-month LIBOR, in a manner that is consistent with industry-accepted practices for such substitute or successor base rate. Unless the calculation agent uses a substitute or successor base rate as so provided, the provisions as described in the accompanying prospectus supplement under “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Interest Rates — Floating Rate Notes — LIBOR Notes” will apply. In the event that a published three-month LIBOR is unavailable, the calculation agent has not determined a substitute or successor base rate as of any Interest Determination Date and banks are unwilling to provide quotations for the determination of three-month LIBOR as set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement, then three-month LIBOR on the Floating Rate Notes will be the three-month LIBOR in effect for the prior interest period. If any of the foregoing occurs, the value of the Floating Rate Notes could be adversely affected.

Changes in laws and regulations, including how they are interpreted and enforced in applicable jurisdictions, could have an impact on holders of our outstanding debt securities.

On June 22, 2016, legislation came into force amending the Bank Act and the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act (Canada) (the “CDIC Act”) and certain other federal statutes pertaining to banks to create a bail-in regime for Canada’s domestically systemically important banks, which include the Bank. In March 2018, the Government of Canada registered the final regulations under the CDIC Act and the Bank Act providing the final details of the conversion, issuance and compensation regimes for bail-in instruments issued by domestic systemically important banks, including the Bank (collectively, the “Bail-In Regulations”). The Bail-In Regulations come into force

PS-2

in September 2018. Pursuant to the CDIC Act, in circumstances where the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has determined that the Bank has ceased, or is about to cease, to be viable, the Governor in Council may, upon a recommendation of the Minister of Finance that he or she is of the opinion that it is in the public interest to do so, grant an order directing CDIC to convert all or a portion of certain shares and liabilities of the Bank into common shares of the Bank (a “Bail-In Conversion”).

The Bail-In Regulations prescribe the types of shares and liabilities that will be subject to a Bail-In Conversion. In general, any senior debt with an initial or amended term to maturity (including explicit or embedded options) greater than 400 days, that is unsecured or partially secured and has been assigned a CUSIP or ISIN or similar identification number would be subject to a Bail-In Conversion. Shares, other than common shares, and subordinated debt would also be subject to a Bail-In Conversion, unless they are non-viability contingent capital. The Notes would accordingly be subject to a Bail-in Conversion if they were to be issued after the coming into force of the Bail-In Regulations.

Notwithstanding the above, any shares and liabilities issued before the date the Bail-In Regulations come into force (i.e., September 2018), including the Notes, would not be subject to a Bail-In Conversion, unless, in the case of a liability, including the Notes, the terms of such liability are, on or after that day, amended to increase its principal amount or to extend its term to maturity and the liability, as amended, meets the requirements to be subject to a Bail-In Conversion.

The financial services industry is highly regulated, and we have experienced changes and increased complexity in regulatory requirements as governments and regulators around the world continue major reforms intended to strengthen the stability of the financial system and protect key markets and participants. As a result, there is the potential for higher capital requirements and increased regulatory and compliance costs which could lower our returns and affect our growth. We monitor such developments, and other potential changes, such as reforms of the U.S. financial regulatory system following the U.S. election or the potential impacts of a United Kingdom withdrawal from the European Union, so that BMO is well-positioned to respond to and implement any required changes. We continue to strive to put our customers first as a mitigant to compliance and consumer protection issues. Failure to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements may result in litigation, financial losses, regulatory sanctions, enforcement actions, an inability to execute our business strategies, a decline in investor and customer confidence and harm to our reputation.

PS-3

USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that the net proceeds to us from this offering will be approximately US$                 , after deducting underwriting commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The net proceeds will be contributed to the general funds of the Bank and used for general corporate purposes.

PS-4

SPECIFIC TERMS OF THE NOTES

The Notes are part of a series of our senior debt securities called Senior Medium-Term Notes, Series D, and therefore, this pricing supplement, dated            , 2018 (this “pricing supplement”), should be read together with the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Terms used but not defined in this pricing supplement have the meanings given them in the accompanying prospectus supplement or accompanying prospectus, unless the context requires otherwise.

General

The Notes are part of a series of senior debt securities referred to as “Senior Medium-Term Notes, Series D” that we may issue from time to time under the senior indenture, dated as of January 25, 2010, between Bank of Montreal and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “trustee”). The Notes will constitute our senior unsecured obligations and will rank equally in right of payment with all of our existing and future unsubordinated, unsecured indebtedness. The Notes will not be listed on any securities exchange.

The Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of US$2,000 and integral multiples of US$1,000 in excess thereof. Upon issuance, the Notes of each tranche will be represented by one or more fully registered global notes. Each global note will be deposited with, or on behalf of, The Depository Trust Company, as depositary.

Please note that the information about the price to the public and the proceeds, before expenses, to Bank of Montreal on the front cover of this pricing supplement relates only to the initial sale of Notes. If you have purchased the Notes in a market making transaction after the initial sale, information about the price and date of sale will be provided to you in a separate confirmation of sale.

In this section, references to “holders” mean those who own the Notes registered in their own names, on the books that we or the trustee maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in the Notes registered in street name or in the Notes issued in book-entry form through The Depository Trust Company or another depositary. Owners of beneficial interests in the Notes should read the section entitled “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Legal Ownership” in the accompanying prospectus supplement and “Description of the Debt Securities We May Offer — Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance” in the accompanying prospectus.

Stated Maturity

If not previously redeemed by Bank of Montreal or otherwise declared to be due and payable, the Fixed Rate Notes will mature on            , 2021 and the Floating Rate Notes will mature on            , 2021, and at maturity holders will receive the outstanding principal amount of their Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.

Interest

Fixed Rate Notes

The Fixed Rate Notes will bear interest from and including            , 2018 at a rate of        % per year. Bank of Montreal will pay interest on the Fixed Rate Notes semi-annually in arrears on                and                of each year, beginning            , 2018 (each, a “Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date”), and at maturity. Interest will be payable on each Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date to the person in whose name the Fixed Rate Notes are registered at the close of business on the preceding                or                , whether or not a business day. However, Bank of Montreal will pay interest at maturity to the person to whom the principal is payable.

If any Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date, the maturity date or any redemption date falls on a day that is not a business day for the Fixed Rate Notes, Bank of Montreal will postpone the making of such interest or principal payments to the next succeeding business day (and no interest will be paid in respect of the delay).

Interest on the Fixed Rate Notes will accrue from and including            , 2018, to but excluding the first Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date, and then from and including each Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for to, but excluding, the next Fixed Rate Interest Payment Date or maturity, as the case may be.

PS-5

Interest on the Fixed Rate Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months.

Floating Rate Notes

The Floating Rate Notes will bear interest from and including            , 2018. Bank of Montreal will pay interest on the Floating Rate Notes quarterly in arrears on                ,                ,                 and                of each year, beginning on                , 2018 (each, a “Floating Rate Interest Payment Date”), and at maturity. Interest will be payable on each Floating Rate Interest Payment Date to the person in whose name the Floating Rate Notes are registered at the close of business on the preceding                 ,                ,                 and                , whether or not a business day. However, Bank of Montreal will pay interest at maturity to the person to whom the principal is payable.

If any Floating Rate Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a business day for the Floating Rate Notes, Bank of Montreal will postpone the making of such interest or principal payment to the next succeeding business day (and interest thereon will continue to accrue to but excluding such succeeding business day), unless the next succeeding business day is in the next succeeding calendar month, in which case such interest payment date shall be the immediately preceding business day and interest shall accrue to but excluding such preceding business day. If the maturity date or a redemption date for the Floating Rate Notes would fall on a day that is not a business day, the payment of interest and principal will be made on the next succeeding business day, but no additional interest shall accrue and be paid unless we fail to make payment on such next succeeding business day.

Interest on the Floating Rate Notes will accrue from and including            , 2018, to but excluding the first Floating Rate Interest Payment Date, and then from and including each Floating Rate Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for to, but excluding, the next Floating Rate Interest Payment Date or maturity, as the case may be. The Floating Rate Notes will bear interest for each interest period at a rate per annum determined by the calculation agent, subject to the maximum interest rate permitted by New York or other applicable state law, as such law may be modified by United States law of general application, and the Criminal Code (Canada). The per annum rate at which interest on the Floating Rate Notes will be payable during each interest period will be equal to the then-applicable three-month LIBOR rate for U.S. dollars, determined on the Interest Determination Date for that interest period, plus        % (                basis points). In no event will the interest on the Floating Rate Notes be less than zero.

“Interest Determination Date” means the second London Business Day immediately preceding the applicable quarterly interest reset date. The quarterly interest reset date will be each                ,                ,                 and                . The Interest Determination Date for the initial interest period will be the second London Business Day immediately preceding settlement for the Floating Rate Notes.

“interest period” means the period commencing on any Floating Rate Interest Payment Date for the Floating Rate Notes (or, with respect to the initial interest period only, commencing on            , 2018) to, but excluding, the next succeeding Floating Rate Interest Payment Date for the Floating Rate Notes, and in the case of the last such period, from and including the Floating Rate Interest Payment Date immediately preceding the maturity date to but not including such maturity date.

“London Business Day” means a day on which dealings in U.S. dollars are transacted in the London interbank market.

“three-month LIBOR,” for any Interest Determination Date, will be the offered rate for deposits in the London interbank market in U.S. dollars having an index maturity of three months, as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such Interest Determination Date. LIBOR will be determined by the offered rate appearing on the Reuters screen LIBOR01 page or any replacement page or pages on which London interbank rates of major banks for U.S. dollars are displayed (as more fully described in the immediately following paragraph and the section “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Interest Rates — Floating Rate Notes — LIBOR Notes” in the accompanying prospectus supplement).

PS-6

If the calculation agent determines on an Interest Determination Date that three-month LIBOR has been discontinued, then the calculation agent will use a substitute or successor base rate that it has determined in its sole discretion is most comparable to three-month LIBOR, provided that if the calculation agent determines there is an industry-accepted successor base rate that shall have replaced three-month LIBOR in the relevant market at the relevant time, then the calculation agent shall use such successor base rate. If the calculation agent has determined a substitute or successor base rate in accordance with the foregoing, the calculation agent in its sole discretion may determine the business day convention, the definition of business day and the interest determination dates to be used, and any other relevant methodology for calculating such substitute or successor base rate, including any adjustment factor needed to make such substitute or successor base rate comparable to three-month LIBOR, in a manner that is consistent with industry-accepted practices for such substitute or successor base rate. Unless the calculation agent uses a substitute or successor base rate as so provided, the provisions as described in the accompanying prospectus supplement under “Description of the Notes We May Offer — Interest Rates — Floating Rate Notes — LIBOR Notes” will apply.

For each interest period, the calculation agent will determine the amount of accrued interest by multiplying the principal amount of the Floating Rate Notes by an accrued interest factor for the interest period. This factor will equal the sum of the interest factors determined for each day during the interest period. The interest factor for each day will be expressed as a decimal and will be determined by dividing the interest rate, also expressed as a decimal, applicable to that day by 360.

The interest rate and amount of interest to be paid on the Floating Rate Notes for each interest period will be determined by the calculation agent. BMO Capital Markets Corp. is currently serving as our calculation agent; however, we may change the calculation agent at any time without notice, and BMO Capital Markets Corp. may resign as calculation agent at any time upon sixty (60) days’ written notice to us. All determinations made by the calculation agent shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive for all purposes and binding on the Bank and the holders of the Floating Rate Notes. So long as three-month LIBOR is required to be determined with respect to the Floating Rate Notes, there will at all times be a calculation agent. In the event that any then acting calculation agent shall be unable or unwilling to act, or that such calculation agent shall fail duly to establish three-month LIBOR for any interest period, or we propose to remove such calculation agent, we shall appoint another calculation agent.

Payment of Additional Amounts

All payments made by Bank of Montreal under or with respect to the Notes will be made free and clear of and without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future tax, duty, levy, impost, assessment or other governmental charge (including penalties, interest and other liabilities related thereto) imposed or levied by or on behalf of the Government of Canada or any province or territory thereof or by any authority or agency therein or thereof having power to tax (hereafter “Canadian taxes”), unless Bank of Montreal is required to withhold or deduct Canadian taxes by law or by the interpretation or administration thereof. If Bank of Montreal is so required to withhold or deduct any amount for or on account of Canadian taxes from any payment made under or with respect to the Notes, Bank of Montreal will pay to each holder of such Notes as additional interest such additional amounts (“additional amounts”) as may be necessary so that the net amount received by each such holder after such withholding or deduction (and after deducting any Canadian taxes on such additional amounts) will not be less than the amount such holder would have received if such Canadian taxes had not been withheld or deducted, except as described below. However, no additional amounts will be payable with respect to a payment made to a holder in respect of the beneficial owner thereof:

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Bank of Montreal will also:

Bank of Montreal will furnish to the registered holders of the relevant Notes, within 60 days after the date the payment of any Canadian taxes is due pursuant to applicable law, certified copies of tax receipts or other documents evidencing such payment.

In any event, no additional amounts will be payable under the provisions described above in respect of any Note in excess of the additional amounts which would be required if, at all relevant times, the beneficial owner of such Note were a resident of the United States for purposes of, and was entitled to the benefits of the Canada-U.S. Income Tax Convention (1980), as amended, including any protocols thereto. As a result of the limitation on the payment of additional amounts discussed in the preceding sentence, the additional amounts received by certain holders in respect of beneficial owners of the Notes may be less than the amount of Canadian taxes withheld or deducted and, accordingly, the net amount received by such holders of those Notes will be less than the amount such holders would have received had there been no such withholding or deduction in respect of Canadian taxes.

Wherever in the senior indenture governing the terms of the Notes there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of principal, or any premium or interest or any other amount payable under or with respect to a Note, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of additional amounts to the extent that, in such context, additional amounts are, were or would be payable as set forth in this section in respect thereof.

In the event of the occurrence of any transaction or event resulting in a successor to Bank of Montreal, all references to Canada in the preceding paragraphs of this subsection shall be deemed to be references to the jurisdiction of organization of the successor entity.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, all payments shall be made net of any deduction or withholding imposed or collected pursuant to Sections 1471 through 1474 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof, any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b) of the Code, or any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement entered into in connection with the implementation of such Sections of the Code (or any law implementing such an intergovernmental agreement) (any such withholding, a “FATCA Withholding Tax”), and no additional amounts will be payable as a result of any such FATCA Withholding Tax.

PS-8

Tax Redemption

Bank of Montreal (or its successor) may redeem each tranche of Notes, in whole but not in part, at a redemption price equal to the principal amount thereof together with accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date fixed for redemption, upon the giving of a notice as described below, if:

and, in any such case, Bank of Montreal (or its successor), in its business judgment, determines that such obligation cannot be avoided by the use of reasonable measures available to it (or its successor) (which, for greater certainty, does not include substitution of the obligor under such Notes).

In the event Bank of Montreal elects to redeem any Notes pursuant to the provisions set forth in the preceding paragraph, it shall deliver to the trustee a certificate, signed by an authorized officer, stating (i) that Bank of Montreal is entitled to redeem such Notes pursuant to their terms and (ii) the principal amount of such Notes to be redeemed.

Notice of intention to redeem such Notes will be mailed to holders of such Notes not more than 60 nor less than 30 calendar days prior to the date fixed for redemption and such notice will specify, among other things, the date fixed for redemption and the redemption price.

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SUPPLEMENTAL TAX CONSIDERATIONS

The following is a general description of certain tax considerations relating to the Notes. It does not purport to be a complete analysis of all tax considerations relating to the Notes. Prospective purchasers of the Notes should consult their tax advisers as to the consequences, under the tax laws of the country of which they are a resident for tax purposes and the tax laws of Canada and the United States, of acquiring, holding and disposing of the Notes and receiving payments of interest, principal or other amounts under the Notes. This summary is based upon the law as in effect on the date of this pricing supplement and is subject to any change in law that may take effect after such date.

Supplemental Canadian Federal Income Tax Considerations

The following summary describes the principal Canadian federal income tax considerations generally applicable to a holder who acquires Notes, including entitlement to all payments thereunder, as beneficial owner, pursuant to this pricing supplement, and who, at all relevant times, for the purposes of the Tax Act and any applicable income tax convention, (i) is not resident and is not deemed to be resident in Canada, (ii) deals at arm’s-length with Bank of Montreal and with any transferee resident (or deemed resident) in Canada to whom the holder disposes of Notes, (iii) is not a “specified non-resident shareholder” of Bank of Montreal or a non-resident person not dealing at arm’s-length with a “specified shareholder” (as defined in subsection 18(5) of the Tax Act) of Bank of Montreal, (iv) does not use or hold Notes in a business carried on or deemed to be carried on in Canada, (v) does not receive any payment of interest on the Notes in respect of a debt or other obligation to pay an amount to a person with whom Bank of Montreal does not deal at arm’s-length, and (vi) is not an insurer that carries on an insurance business in Canada and elsewhere (a “Non-resident Holder”).

This summary is based upon the provisions of the Tax Act and the regulations thereunder (the “Regulations”) in force on the date hereof and counsel’s understanding of the current administrative policies and assessing practices of the Canada Revenue Agency published in writing by it prior to the date hereof. This summary takes into account all specific proposals to amend the Tax Act and Regulations publicly announced by or on behalf of the Minister of Finance (Canada) prior to the date hereof (the “Proposed Amendments”) and assumes that all Proposed Amendments will be enacted in the form proposed. However, no assurances can be given that the Proposed Amendments will be enacted as proposed, or at all. This summary does not otherwise take into account or anticipate any changes in law or administrative policy or assessing practice, whether by legislative, regulatory, administrative or judicial action, nor does it take into account provincial, territorial or foreign income tax legislation. Subsequent developments could have a material effect on the following description.

This summary is of a general nature only and is not, and is not intended to be, legal or tax advice to any particular holder. This summary is not exhaustive of all Canadian federal income tax considerations. Accordingly, prospective purchasers of Notes should consult their own tax advisors with respect to their particular circumstances.

No Canadian withholding tax will apply to interest, principal or premium paid or credited to a Non-resident Holder by Bank of Montreal on a Note or to the proceeds received by a Non-resident Holder on the disposition of a Note including a redemption, payment on maturity, repurchase or purchase for cancellation.

No other tax on income or gains will be payable by a Non-resident Holder on interest, principal or premium on a Note or on the proceeds received by a Non-resident Holder on the disposition of a Note including a redemption, payment on maturity, repurchase or purchase for cancellation.

Supplemental United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

United States Holders

Some of the tax consequences of your investment in the Notes are summarized below. The discussion below supplements the discussion under “United States Federal Income Taxation,” beginning on page 43 of the accompanying prospectus, and is subject to the limitations and exceptions set forth therein. The following subsection and the discussion in the accompanying prospectus apply to you only if you are a United States holder, as defined in the accompanying prospectus.

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The Fixed Rate Notes will constitute fixed-rate debt for United States federal income tax purposes. The Floating Rate Notes will be subject to the special rules governing variable rate debt instruments for United States federal income tax purposes. Under any Notes, you will generally be required to include the interest payments on the Notes in your income as ordinary income at the time you receive or accrue such payments, depending on your method of accounting for United States federal income tax purposes.

The Notes may be issued with a de minimis amount of original issue discount (“OID”). While a United States holder is generally not required to include de minimis OID in income prior to the sale or maturity of the Notes, under recently enacted legislation, United States holders that maintain certain types of financial statements and that are subject to the accrual method of tax accounting may be required to include de minimis OID on the Notes in income no later than the time upon which they include such amounts in income on their financial statements. United States holders that maintain financial statements should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences to them of this legislation.

Interest paid by Bank of Montreal on the Notes is income from sources outside the United States subject to the rules regarding the foreign tax credit allowable to a United States holder and will generally be “passive” income for purposes of computing the foreign tax credit.

Your tax basis in your Notes generally will be the U.S. dollar cost of your Notes. You will generally recognize capital gain or loss on the sale or retirement of your Notes equal to the difference between the amount you realize on the sale or retirement, excluding any amounts attributable to accrued but unpaid interest, and your tax basis in your Notes. Capital gain of a noncorporate United States holder is generally taxed at a maximum rate of 20% where the property is held for more than one year.

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EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME SECURITY ACT

A fiduciary of a pension, profit-sharing or other employee benefit plan subject to Title I of the U.S. Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”) (each, a “Plan”), should consider the fiduciary standards of ERISA in the context of the Plan’s particular circumstances before authorizing an investment in the Notes. Among other factors, the fiduciary should consider whether the investment would satisfy the prudence and diversification requirements of ERISA and would be consistent with the documents and instruments governing the Plan, and whether the investment would involve a prohibited transaction under ERISA or the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Code prohibit Plans, as well as individual retirement accounts, Keogh plans and any other plans that are subject to Section 4975 of the Code (also “Plans”), from engaging in certain transactions involving “plan assets” with persons who are “parties in interest” under ERISA or “disqualified persons” under the Code with respect to the Plan. A violation of these prohibited transaction rules may result in excise tax or other liabilities under ERISA or the Code for those persons, unless exemptive relief is available under an applicable statutory, regulatory or administrative exemption. Employee benefit plans that are governmental plans (as defined in Section 3(32) of ERISA), certain church plans (as defined in Section 3(33) of ERISA) and non-U.S. plans (as described in Section 4(b)(4) of ERISA) (collectively, “Non-ERISA Arrangements”) are not subject to the requirements of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code but may be subject to substantially similar provisions under applicable federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws (“Similar Laws”).

The acquisition and holding of Notes by a Plan or any entity whose underlying assets include “plan assets” by reason of any Plan’s investment in the entity (a “Plan Asset Entity”) with respect to which we, the underwriters, the calculation agent, the trustee, the security registrar and the paying agent or certain of our or their affiliates are or become a party in interest or disqualified person may result in a prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, unless the Notes are acquired and held pursuant to an applicable exemption. The U.S. Department of Labor has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions, or “PTCEs”, that may provide exemptive relief if required for direct or indirect prohibited transactions that may arise from the purchase or holding of Notes. Among those exemptions are PTCE 84-14 (for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTCE 90-1 (for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTCE 91-38 (for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds), PTCE 95-60 (for transactions involving certain insurance company general accounts), and PTCE 96-23 (for transactions managed by in-house asset managers). In addition, Section 408(b)(17) of ERISA and Section 4975(d)(20) of the Code may provide an exemption for the purchase and sale of the Notes offered hereby, provided that neither the issuer of the Notes offered hereby nor any of its affiliates have or exercise any discretionary authority or control or render any investment advice with respect to the assets of any Plan involved in the transaction, and provided further that the Plan pays no more and receives no less than “adequate consideration” in connection with the transaction (the “service provider exemption”). There can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any such exemptions will be satisfied.

Any purchaser or holder (including each subsequent purchaser or holder) of Notes or any interest therein will be deemed to have represented by its purchase and holding of Notes offered hereby or any interest therein that it either (1) is not a Plan, a Plan Asset Entity or a Non-ERISA Arrangement and is not purchasing the Notes on behalf of or with the assets of any Plan, a Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement or (2) the purchase and holding of the Notes will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code or a similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws. Additionally, any purchaser of the Notes that is a Plan (including, for purposes of the below representations, a Plan Asset Entity) and that acquires the Notes in connection with this offering will be deemed to represent by its purchase and holding of the Notes that a fiduciary (the “Fiduciary”) independent of us, the underwriters, or any of our or their respective affiliates (the “Transaction Parties”) acting on the Plan’s behalf is responsible for the Plan’s decision to acquire the Notes and that such Fiduciary:

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(8)    confirms that no fee or other compensation will be paid directly to any of the Transaction Parties by the Plan, or any fiduciary, participant or beneficiary of the Plan, for the provision of investment advice (as opposed to other services) in connection with the Plan’s acquisition of the Notes.

Due to the complexity of these rules and the penalties that may be imposed upon persons involved in non-exempt prohibited transactions, it is important that fiduciaries or other persons considering purchasing Notes on behalf of or with the assets of any Plan, a Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement consult with their counsel regarding the availability of exemptive relief under any of the PTCEs listed above, the service provider exemption or the potential consequences of any purchase or holding under Similar Laws, as applicable. Purchasers of Notes have exclusive responsibility for ensuring that their purchase and holding of Notes do not violate the fiduciary or prohibited transaction rules of ERISA or the Code or any similar provisions of Similar Laws. The sale of any Notes to a Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement is in no respect a representation by us or any of our affiliates or representatives that such an investment meets all relevant legal requirements with respect to investments by any such Plans, Plan Asset Entities or Non-ERISA Arrangements generally or any particular Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement or that such investment is appropriate for such Plans, Plan Asset Entities or Non-ERISA Arrangements generally or any particular Plan, Plan Asset Entity or Non-ERISA Arrangement.

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SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)

Subject to the terms and conditions contained in a terms agreement dated the date of this pricing supplement (the “terms agreement”), the underwriters named below, for whom BMO Capital Markets Corp., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as representatives, have severally agreed to purchase, and Bank of Montreal has agreed to sell to each of them, severally, the principal amounts of Notes set forth below:

The terms agreement provides that the underwriters are obligated to purchase all of the Notes if any are purchased. The terms agreement also provides that if an underwriter defaults, the offering of the Notes may be terminated.

The underwriters initially propose to offer the Notes to the public at the public offering prices set forth on the cover page of this pricing supplement and may offer the Notes to certain dealers at the public offering prices less a concession not in excess of        % of the principal amount of such Notes. The underwriters may allow, and such dealers may reallow, a concession not in excess of        % of the principal amount of the Notes on sales to certain dealers. After the initial offering of the Notes, the public offering price and other selling terms may from time to time be varied by the representatives. The offering of the Notes by the underwriters is subject to receipt and acceptance and subject to the underwriters’ right to reject any order in whole or in part.

We estimate that the total offering expenses of the Notes payable by us, excluding underwriting commissions, will be approximately US$            .

Bank of Montreal has agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or contribute to payments that the underwriters may be required to make in respect of any of these liabilities.

In connection with this offering, the underwriters may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves syndicate sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a syndicate short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the Notes in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a syndicate member when the Notes originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a stabilizing or covering transaction to cover short positions. Such stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may have the effect of stabilizing, maintaining or otherwise affecting the market price of the Notes, which may be higher than it would otherwise be in the absence of such transactions. The underwriters are not required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these activities at any time.

In connection with the offering of any tranche of Notes, BMO Capital Markets Corp. (the “Stabilizing Manager”) (or persons acting on its behalf) may over allot Notes or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the Notes during the stabilization period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilization may not necessarily occur. Any stabilization action may begin on or after the date of adequate public disclosure of the terms of the offer of the relevant tranche of Notes and, if begun, may cease at any time, but it must end no later than 30 calendar days after the date on which Bank of Montreal received the proceeds of the issue, or no later than 60 calendar days after the date of allotment of the Notes, whichever is earlier. Any stabilisation action or over allotment must be conducted by the Stabilizing Manager (or persons acting on its behalf) in accordance with all

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applicable laws and rules and will be undertaken at the offices of the Stabilizing Manager (or persons acting on its behalf) and on the over-the-counter market.

The Notes are new issues of securities with no established trading market. We do not intend to list the Notes on any securities exchange. The underwriters intend to make a market in the Notes. However, they are not obligated to do so and may discontinue market-making at any time without notice. If a trading market develops, no assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for any Notes.

The underwriters and their respective affiliates are full service financial institutions engaged in various activities, which may include securities trading, commercial and investment banking, financial advisory, investment management, investment research, principal investment, hedging, financing and brokerage activities. Certain of the underwriters and their respective affiliates have, from time to time, performed, and may in the future perform, various financial advisory and investment banking services for Bank of Montreal, for which they received or will receive customary fees and expenses. Underwriters, dealers and agents, and their affiliates or associates, may engage in transactions with us or perform services for us in the ordinary course of business and receive compensation from us. In the ordinary course of their various business activities, the underwriters and their respective affiliates may make or hold a broad array of investments and actively trade debt and equity securities (or related derivative securities) and financial instruments (including bank loans) for their own account and for the accounts of their customers, and such investment and securities activities may involve securities and/or instruments of Bank of Montreal or its affiliates. If any of the underwriters or their affiliates has a lending relationship with us, certain of those underwriters or affiliates routinely hedge, and certain other underwriters or their affiliates may hedge, their credit exposure to us consistent with their customary risk management policies. Typically, such underwriters and their affiliates would hedge such exposure by entering into transactions which consist of either the purchase of credit default swaps or the creation of short positions in our securities, including potentially the Notes offered hereby. Any such credit default swaps or short positions could adversely affect future trading prices of the Notes offered hereby. The underwriters and their respective affiliates may also make investment recommendations and/or publish or express independent research views in respect of such securities or instruments and may at any time hold, or recommend to clients that they acquire, long and/or short positions in such securities and instruments.

We will use this pricing supplement in the initial sale of the Notes. In addition, BMO Capital Markets Corp. may use this pricing supplement in market-making transactions in any Notes after their initial sale. Unless the underwriters or we inform you otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this pricing supplement is being used in a market-making transaction.

Conflicts of Interest

BMO Capital Markets Corp. is an affiliate of Bank of Montreal, and, as such, has a “conflict of interest” in this offering within the meaning of FINRA Rule 5121. Consequently, the offering is being conducted in compliance with the provisions of Rule 5121. BMO Capital Markets Corp. is not permitted to sell Notes in this offering to an account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder.

Trustee Conflict of Interest

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, an affiliate of the Trustee, is an underwriter for this offering. Therefore, if a default occurs with respect to the Notes, the Trustee would have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. In that event, except in very limited circumstances, the Trustee would be required to resign as trustee under the Indenture governing the Notes and we would be required to appoint a successor trustee. If the Trustee resigns following a default, it may be difficult to identify and appoint a qualified successor trustee. The Trustee will remain the trustee under the Indenture until a successor is appointed. During the period of time until a successor is appointed, the Trustee will have both (a) duties to noteholders under the Indenture and (b) a conflicting interest under the Indenture for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act.

Settlement

It is expected that delivery of the Notes will be made against payment therefor on or about the closing date specified on the cover page of this pricing supplement, which will be the            business day following the date of

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pricing of the Notes (this settlement cycle being referred to as “T+    ”). Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Exchange Act, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the Notes more than two business days prior to the issue date will be required, by virtue of the fact that the Notes initially will settle in T+    , to specify an alternate settlement cycle at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement.

Selling Restrictions

The Notes are being offered for sale in jurisdictions in the United States and outside the United States where it is legal to make such offers. The underwriters have represented and agreed that they have not offered, sold or delivered, and will not offer, sell or deliver, any of the Notes, directly or indirectly, or distribute this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any other material relating to the Notes, in or from any jurisdiction except under circumstances that will result in compliance with the applicable laws and regulations thereof, and will not impose any obligations on Bank of Montreal except as set forth in the terms agreement.

European Economic Area

This pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have been prepared on the basis that any offer of Notes in any member state (the “Member States” and each, a “Member State”) of the European Economic Area will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Directive from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of Notes. Accordingly, any person making or intending to make an offer in that Member State of Notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated in this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for Bank of Montreal or any underwriter to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive in relation to such offer.

Neither Bank of Montreal nor any underwriters have authorized, nor do they authorize, the making of any offer of Notes through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by the relevant underwriters which constitute the final placement of the Notes contemplated in this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

The expression Prospectus Directive means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Member State concerned.

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that it has not offered, sold or otherwise made available and will not offer, sell or otherwise make available any Notes to any retail investor in the European Economic Area. For the purposes of this provision:

Each person in a Member State of the European Economic Area who receives any communication in respect of, or who acquires any Notes under, the offers to the public contemplated in this Prospectus Supplement will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with each underwriter and the issuer that: (a) it is a qualified investor within the meaning of the law in that Member State implementing Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive; and (b) it is not a “retail investor” as defined above.

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Each person in a Member State of the European Economic Area who receives any communication in respect of, or who acquires any Notes under, the offers to the public contemplated in this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, or to whom the Notes are otherwise made available will be deemed to have represented, warranted and agreed to and with each underwriter and Bank of Montreal that it and any person on whose behalf it acquires Notes is: (a) a qualified investor within the meaning of the law in that Member State implementing Article 2(1)(e) of the Prospectus Directive; and (b) not a “retail investor” as defined above.

United Kingdom

This pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are for distribution only to persons who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the “Financial Promotion Order”), (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) (“high net worth companies, unincorporated associations, etc.”) of the Financial Promotion Order, (iii) are outside the United Kingdom, or (iv) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as “relevant persons”). This pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relate is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons.

In relation to anything to be done in the United Kingdom:

Hong Kong

The Notes may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong) or an invitation to the public within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the Notes may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to Notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” in Hong Kong within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

Japan

The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law of Japan (the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law) and each underwriter has agreed that it will not offer or sell any securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Financial Instruments and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

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Singapore

This pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the Notes may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the Notes be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA.

Where the Notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is: (a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the Notes under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or to any person where such transfer arises from an offer pursuant to Section 275(1A) or Section 276(4)(i)(B) of the SFA; (2) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer; (3) where the transfer is by operation of law; (4) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA; or (5) as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore.

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VALIDITY OF THE NOTES

The validity of the Notes will be passed upon for us by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, Toronto, Ontario, as to matters of Canadian law and applicable matters of Ontario law, and by Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, New York, New York, as to matters of New York law. The underwriters have been represented by Shearman & Sterling LLP, Toronto, Ontario.

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Prospectus Supplement to Prospectus dated April 27, 2017

US$25,000,000,000

Senior Medium-Term Notes, Series D

Terms of Sale

We may from time to time offer and sell notes with various terms, including the following:

The final terms of each note will be included in a pricing supplement and, if applicable, a product supplement. The notes will be issued at 100% of their principal amount unless otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement. We will receive between 92% and 100% of the aggregate proceeds from the sale of the notes, after paying the agents’ commissions of between 0% and 8% of the aggregate proceeds. See “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” beginning on page S-35 for additional information about the agents’ commissions. The aggregate principal amount of the notes is subject to reduction as a result of the Bank’s sale of other securities pursuant to a separate prospectus supplement to the accompanying prospectus.

See “Risk Factors” beginning on page S-1 to read about factors you should consider before investing in any notes.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the notes or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

These notes will be our unsecured obligations and will not be savings accounts or deposits that are insured by the United States Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Deposit Insurance Fund, the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency or instrumentality or other entity.

We may sell the notes directly or through one or more agents or dealers, including the agent listed below. The agents are not required to sell any particular amount of the notes.

We may use this prospectus supplement in the initial sale of any notes. In addition, we or any of our affiliates, including BMO Capital Markets Corp., may use this prospectus supplement in a market-making or other transaction in any note after its initial sale. Unless we or our agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale or pricing supplement, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus are being used in a market-making transaction.

The date of this prospectus supplement is April 27, 2017.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prospectus Supplement

Prospectus

i

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and, if applicable, a product supplement, provide you with a general description of the notes we may offer. Each time we sell notes we will provide a pricing supplement containing specific information about the terms of the notes being offered. Each pricing supplement or product supplement may include a discussion of any risk factors or other special considerations that apply to those notes. The pricing supplement or any product supplement may also add, update or change the information in this prospectus supplement. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus supplement and any pricing supplement or any product supplement, you should rely on the information in that pricing supplement or product supplement, whichever is most recent.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in the notes is subject to the risks described below, as well as the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the accompanying prospectus and the categories of risks identified and discussed in the management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations included in our Annual Report on Form 40-F for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2016. You should carefully consider whether the notes are suited to your particular circumstances. This section describes the most significant risks relating to the terms of the notes. We urge you to read the following information about these risks, together with the other information in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any applicable product supplement and the relevant pricing supplement, before investing in the notes.

General Risks Relating to the Notes

Our Credit Ratings May Not Reflect All Risks of an Investment in the Notes

The credit ratings of our medium-term note program may not reflect the potential impact of all risks related to structure and other factors on any trading market for, or trading value of, your notes. In addition, real or anticipated changes in our credit ratings will generally affect any trading market for, or trading value of, your notes.

An Investment in the Notes Is Subject to Our Credit Risk

An investment in the notes is subject to the credit risk of Bank of Montreal, and the actual or perceived creditworthiness of Bank of Montreal may affect the market value of the notes.

Notes Offered Under This Prospectus May Not Be Conventional Debt Securities

Notes offered under this prospectus may not be conventional debt securities. If specified in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, the notes may provide no assurance that any of the principal amount of the notes will be paid at or before maturity. In addition, the notes may not provide holders with a return or income stream prior to maturity calculated by reference to a fixed or floating rate of interest determinable prior to maturity. The notes, unlike traditional debt obligations of a Canadian chartered bank, may be speculative or uncertain in that they could produce no return on a holder’s original investment or not repay any principal amount at or before maturity. Prospective purchasers are directed to the relevant pricing supplement and, if applicable, product supplement for the specific terms of the relevant securities, including any risk factors set out therein.

There May Be No Market through which the Notes May Be Sold

Unless otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, there may be no market through which the notes may be sold and holders may not be able to sell notes. This may affect the

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pricing of the notes in the secondary market, the transparency and availability of trading prices, the liquidity of the notes, and the extent of issuer regulation.

The Notes Are Not Covered By Deposit Insurance

The notes will not constitute savings accounts, deposits or other obligations that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Deposit Insurance Fund or any other governmental agency or under the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, the Bank Act (Canada) or any other deposit insurance regime designed to ensure the payment of all or a portion of a deposit upon the insolvency of the deposit taking financial institution. Therefore, you will not be entitled to insurance from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or other such protection, and as a result, you could lose all or a portion of your investment.

Changes in Laws and Regulations, Including How They are Interpreted and Enforced in Applicable Jurisdictions, Could Have an Impact on Holders of the Notes

In August 2014, Canada’s Department of Finance issued a consultation paper on a Canadian bank resolution framework, including the Canadian bail-in regime and Higher Loss Absorbency requirements that would apply to Canadian domestic systemically important banks that are designated by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada (“OSFI”), including the Bank. On June 22, 2016, the Government of Canada passed legislation to implement a bail-in regime, in accordance with regulations to the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act that have not yet been prescribed (the “CDIC Act Regulations”). While such legislation does not indicate which instruments will be subject to the bail-in regime, as such details will be set forth in the CDIC Act Regulations, the 2014 consultation paper indicated that instruments subject to the bail-in conversion regime would include newly issued unsecured, tradable, transferable senior debt with an original term to maturity of greater than or equal to 400 days (“Bail-In Debt”), and that all Bail-In Debt would be convertible into common shares. The timing planned for implementation of the bail-in regime has not yet been determined. Where any notes issued under this prospectus supplement are subject to the bail-in regime, the applicable pricing supplement will provide details of that regime.

The financial services industry is highly regulated, and we have experienced changes and increased complexity in regulatory requirements as governments and regulators around the world continue major reforms intended to strengthen the stability of the financial system and protect key markets and participants. As a result, there is the potential for higher capital requirements and increased regulatory and compliance costs which could lower our returns and affect our growth. Failure to comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements may result in litigation, financial losses, regulatory sanctions, enforcement actions, an inability to execute our business strategies, a decline in investor and customer confidence and harm to our reputation.

The Notes are Structurally Subordinated to the Liabilities of Our Subsidiaries

If we become insolvent, the Bank Act (Canada) provides that priorities among payments of our deposit liabilities and payments of all of our other liabilities (including payments in respect of the notes) are to be determined in accordance with the laws governing priorities and, where applicable, by the terms of the indebtedness and liabilities. Because we have subsidiaries, our right to participate in any distribution of the assets of our banking or non-banking subsidiaries, upon a subsidiary’s dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization or otherwise, and thus your ability to benefit indirectly from such distribution, is subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary, except to the extent that we may be a creditor of that subsidiary and our claims are recognized. In addition, there are regulatory and other legal limitations on the extent to which some of our subsidiaries may extend credit, pay dividends or otherwise supply funds to, or engage in transactions with, us or some of our other subsidiaries. Accordingly, the notes will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries, and holders of the notes should look only to our assets and not those of our subsidiaries for payments on the notes.

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Risks Relating to Indexed Notes

We use the term “indexed notes” to mean notes whose value is linked to an underlying property or index. Indexed notes may present a high level of risk, and those who invest in indexed notes may lose all or a portion of their investment and may receive no interest on their investment. In addition, the treatment of indexed notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes is often unclear due to the absence of any authority specifically addressing the issues presented by any particular indexed note. Thus, if you propose to invest in indexed notes, you should independently evaluate the federal income tax consequences of purchasing an indexed note that apply in your particular circumstances. You should also read “Certain Income Tax Consequences — United States Federal Income Taxation” in this prospectus supplement, as well as “United States Federal Income Taxation” in the accompanying prospectus, for a discussion of U.S. tax matters. In addition, interest in respect of an indexed note, or any portion of the principal amount of an indexed note in excess of its issue price, may be subject to Canadian non-resident withholding tax. See “Canadian Taxation — Debt Securities” in the accompanying prospectus. Bank of Montreal or the applicable paying agent will deduct or withhold from a payment on a note any Canadian non-resident withholding tax exigible and will not pay any additional amounts to offset such deduction or withholding unless specified in the relevant pricing supplement. See “Description of the Notes We May Offer —Withholding” in this prospectus supplement.

Investors in Indexed Notes Could Lose Their Investment

The amount of principal and/or interest payable on an indexed note and the cash and/or physical settlement value will be determined by reference to the price, value or level of one or more securities, currencies, commodities or other properties, any other financial, economic or other measure or instrument, including the occurrence or non-occurrence of any event or circumstance, and/or one or more indices or baskets of any of these items. We refer to each of these as an “index”. The direction and magnitude of the change in the price, value or level of the relevant index will determine the amount of principal and/or interest payable on the indexed note, and the cash and/or physical settlement value of an indexed note. The terms of a particular indexed note may or may not include a guaranteed return of a percentage of the face amount at maturity or a minimum interest rate. Thus, if you purchase a particular indexed note that does not include a guaranteed return of the face amount or other amount, you may lose all or a portion of the principal or other amount you invest and may receive no interest on your investment.

The Return on Indexed Notes May Be Below the Return on Similar Notes

Depending on the terms of an indexed note, as specified in the applicable pricing supplement, you may not receive any periodic interest payments or receive only very low payments on such indexed note. As a result, the overall return on such indexed note may be less than the amount you would have earned by investing the principal or other amount you invest in such indexed note in a non-indexed debt security that bears interest at a prevailing market fixed or floating rate.

The Issuer of a Security or Currency That Comprises an Index Could Take Actions That May Adversely Affect an Indexed Note

The issuer of a security that comprises an index or part of an index for an indexed note will have no involvement in the offer and sale of the indexed note and no obligations to the holder of the indexed note. Such an issuer may take actions, such as a merger or sale of assets, without regard to the interests of the holder of the indexed note. Any of these actions could adversely affect the value of a note indexed to that security or to an index of which that security is a component.

If the index for an indexed note includes a non-U.S. dollar currency or other asset denominated in a non-U.S. dollar currency, the government that issues that currency will also have no involvement in the offer and sale of the indexed note and no obligations to the holder of the indexed note. That government may take actions that

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could adversely affect the value of the note. See “Risks Relating to Notes Denominated or Payable in a Non-U.S. Dollar Currency” below for more information about these kinds of government actions.

Investors in Indexed Notes Will Have No Ownership of the Underlying Securities

Investing in an indexed note will not entitle a holder to any direct or indirect ownership or entitlement to the underlying securities, except as specified in the relevant pricing supplement or, if applicable, product supplement. A holder will not be entitled to the rights and benefits of a holder of the underlying securities, including any right to receive any distributions or dividends or to vote at or attend any meetings of holders of the underlying securities.

An Indexed Note May Be Linked to a Volatile Index, Which Could Hurt Your Investment

Some indices are highly volatile, which means that their value may change significantly, up or down, over a short period of time. The amount of principal and/or interest that can be expected to become payable on an indexed note may vary substantially from time to time. Because the amounts payable with respect to an indexed note are generally calculated based on the value or level of the relevant index on a specified date or over a limited period of time, volatility in the index increases the risk that the return on the indexed note may be adversely affected by a fluctuation in the level of the relevant index. The volatility of an index may be affected by political or economic events, including governmental actions, or by the activities of participants in the relevant markets. Any of these events or activities could adversely affect the value of an indexed note.

An Index to Which a Note Is Linked Could Be Changed or Become Unavailable

Some indices sponsored by us or our affiliates or third parties may consist of or refer to several or many different securities, commodities or currencies or other instruments or measures. The sponsor of such an index typically reserves the right to alter the composition of the index and the manner in which the value or level of the index is calculated. An alteration may result in a decrease in the value of or return on an indexed note that is linked to the index. The indices for our indexed notes may include published indices of this kind or customized indices developed by us or our affiliates in connection with particular issues of indexed notes.

A published index may become unavailable, or a customized index may become impossible to calculate in the normal manner, due to events such as war, natural disasters, cessation of publication of the index, a suspension or disruption of trading in one or more securities, commodities or currencies or other instruments or measures on which the index is based or any other market disruption event described in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement. If an index becomes unavailable or impossible to calculate in the normal manner, the terms of a particular indexed note may allow us to delay determining the amount payable as principal or premium or interest on an indexed note, or we may use an alternative method to determine the value of the unavailable index. Alternative methods of valuation are generally intended to produce a value similar to the value resulting from reference to the relevant index. However, it is unlikely that any alternative method of valuation we use will produce a value identical to the value that the actual index would have produced. If we use an alternative method of valuation for a note linked to an index of this kind, the value of the note, or the rate of return on it, may be lower than it otherwise would be.

Some indexed notes are linked to indices that are not commonly used or that have been developed only recently. The lack of a trading history may make it difficult to anticipate the volatility or other risks associated with an indexed note of this kind. In addition, trading in these indices or their underlying stocks, commodities or currencies or other instruments or measures, or options or futures contracts on these stocks, commodities or currencies or other instruments or measures, may be limited, which could increase their volatility and decrease the value of the related indexed notes or the rates of return on them.

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Pricing Information About the Property Underlying a Relevant Index May Not Be Available

Special risks may also be presented because of differences in time zones between the United States and the market for the property underlying the relevant index, such that the underlying property is traded on a foreign exchange that is not open when the trading market for the notes in the United States, if any, is open or where trading occurs in the underlying property during times when the trading market for the notes in the United States, if any, is closed. In such cases, holders of the notes may have to make investment decisions at a time when current pricing information regarding the property underlying the relevant index is not available.

We May Engage in Hedging Activities that Could Adversely Affect an Indexed Note

In order to hedge an exposure on a particular indexed note, we may, directly or through our affiliates or other agents, enter into transactions involving the securities, commodities or currencies or other instruments or measures that underlie the index for the note, or involving derivative instruments, such as swaps, options or futures, on the index or any of its component items. To the extent that we enter into hedging arrangements with a non-affiliate, including a non-affiliate agent, such non-affiliate may enter into similar transactions. Engaging in transactions of this kind could adversely affect the value of an indexed note. It is possible that we or the hedging counterparty could achieve substantial returns and/or fees from our hedging transactions while the value of the indexed note may decline. However, neither we nor any of our affiliates or other agents will be obliged to hedge our exposure under an indexed note nor is there any assurance that any hedging transaction will be maintained or successful.

Information About Indices May Not Be Indicative of Future Performance

If we issue an indexed note, we may include historical information about the relevant index in the relevant pricing supplement. Any information about indices that we may provide will be furnished as a matter of information only, and you should not regard the information as indicative of the range of, or trends in, fluctuations in the relevant index that may occur in the future or indicative of any payment of principal or interest to be paid on the indexed notes.

We May Have Conflicts of Interest Regarding an Indexed Note

BMO Capital Markets Corp. and our other affiliates may have conflicts of interest with respect to some indexed notes. BMO Capital Markets Corp. and our other affiliates may engage in trading, including trading for hedging purposes, for their proprietary accounts or for other accounts under their management, in indexed notes and in the securities, commodities or currencies or other instruments or measures on which the index is based or in other derivative instruments related to the index or its component items. These trading activities could adversely affect the value of indexed notes. We and our affiliates may also issue or underwrite securities or derivative instruments that are linked to the same index as one or more indexed notes. By introducing competing products into the marketplace in this manner, we could adversely affect the value of a particular indexed note.

BMO Capital Markets Corp. or another of our affiliates may serve as calculation agent for the indexed notes and may have considerable discretion in calculating the amounts payable in respect of the notes. To the extent that BMO Capital Markets Corp. or another of our affiliates calculates or compiles a particular index, it may also have considerable discretion in performing the calculation or compilation of the index. Exercising discretion in this manner could adversely affect the value of an indexed note based on the index or the rate of return on the note.

Risks Relating to Floating Rate Notes

Floating Rates of Interest are Uncertain and Could be 0.0%

If your notes are floating rate notes or otherwise directly linked to a floating rate for some portion of the notes’ term, no interest will accrue on the notes with respect to any interest period for which the applicable

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floating rate specified in the applicable pricing supplement is zero on the related interest rate reset date. Floating interest rates, by their very nature, fluctuate, and may be as low as 0.0%. Also, in certain economic environments, floating rates of interest may be less than fixed rates of interest for instruments with a similar credit quality and term. As a result, the return you receive on your notes may be less than a fixed rate security issued for a similar term by a comparable issuer.

Changes in Banks’ Inter-bank Lending Rate Reporting Practices or the Method Pursuant to which LIBOR or EURIBOR is Determined May Adversely Affect the Value of Securities to which LIBOR or EURIBOR Relates

The London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), the Euro Interbank Offered Rate (“EURIBOR”), and other indices which are deemed “benchmarks” are the subject of recent national, international, and other regulatory guidance and proposals for reform. Some of these reforms are already effective while others are still to be implemented. These reforms may cause such benchmarks to perform differently than in the past, or have other consequences which cannot be predicted.

In September 2012, the U.K. government published the results of its review of LIBOR (commonly referred to as the “Wheatley Review”). The Wheatley Review made a number of recommendations for changes with respect to LIBOR including the introduction of statutory regulation of LIBOR, the transfer of responsibility for LIBOR from the British Bankers’ Association to an independent administrator, changes to the method of compilation of lending rates and new regulatory oversight and enforcement mechanisms for rate-setting and the corroboration of LIBOR, as far as possible, by transactional data. Based on the Wheatley Review, on March 25, 2013, final rules for the regulation and supervision of LIBOR by the Financial Conduct Authority (the “FCA”) were published and came into effect on April 2, 2013 (the “FCA Rules”). In particular, the FCA Rules include requirements that (1) an independent LIBOR administrator monitor and survey LIBOR submissions to identify breaches of practice standards and/or potentially manipulative behavior, and (2) firms submitting data to LIBOR establish and maintain a clear conflicts of interest policy and appropriate systems and controls. In addition, in response to the Wheatley Review recommendations, ICE Benchmark Administration Limited (the “ICE Administrator”), a subsidiary of Intercontinental Exchange Group, Inc., was appointed as the independent LIBOR administrator effective February 1, 2014.

It is not possible to predict the further effect of the FCA Rules, any changes in the methods pursuant to which the LIBOR rates are determined, any other reforms to LIBOR that may be enacted in the U.K., the European Union and elsewhere, and any actions taken by the ICE Administrator or any new administrator of LIBOR that may be appointed, each of which may adversely affect the trading market for LIBOR-based securities. Any such changes or reforms in the method pursuant to which the LIBOR rates are determined or actions taken by the ICE Administrator or any new administrator of LIBOR may result in a sudden or prolonged increase or decrease in the reported LIBOR rates. If that were to occur and to the extent that the value of the LIBOR-based securities is affected by reported LIBOR rates, the amount of interest payable under and the value of the LIBOR-based securities may be affected. Further, uncertainty as to the extent and manner in which the Wheatley Review recommendations and other proposed reforms will continue to be adopted and the timing of such changes may adversely affect the current trading market for LIBOR-based securities and the value of your floating rate notes.

At an international level, efforts to reform of “benchmarks” include (i) International Organization of Securities Commissions’ Principles for Financial Market Benchmarks (July 2013), (ii) European Securities and Markets Authority-European Banking Authority’s Principles for the benchmark-setting process (June 2013), and (iii) the European Commission’s regulation on indices used as “benchmarks” in certain financial instruments and financial contracts, or to measure the performance of investment funds (June 2016) (the “Benchmark Regulation”). The Benchmark Regulation applies to the use of “benchmarks” in the European Union, and would, among other things, (i) require benchmark administrators to be authorized (or, if non-European Union-based, require the “benchmarks” to be qualified for use) and to comply with extensive requirements in relation to the administration of “benchmarks” and (ii) ban the use of “benchmarks” of unauthorized administrators. The scope

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of the Benchmark Regulation is wide and, in addition to so-called “critical benchmark” indices such as LIBOR and EURIBOR, also applies to many interest rate and foreign exchange rate indices, equity indices, and other indices (including “proprietary” indices or strategies) where referenced in financial instruments, financial contracts, and investment funds.

The full impact of the Benchmark Regulation is presently unclear. However, it could potentially have a material impact on any securities based on or linked to a “benchmark” index in a range of circumstances including, without limitation, where:

More broadly, the FCA Rules, the Benchmark Regulation, and any of the other international, national, or other proposals for reform or general increased regulatory scrutiny of “benchmarks” could have a material adverse effect on the costs and risks of administering or otherwise participating in the setting of a “benchmark” and complying with any such regulations or requirements. Such factors may have the effect of discouraging market participants from continuing to administer or participate in certain “benchmarks,” trigger changes in the rules or methodologies used in the determination of certain “benchmarks,” or may even lead to the disappearance of certain “benchmarks”. The disappearance of, or uncertainty relating to the continued existence of, a “benchmark” or changes in the manner of determination of or administration of a “benchmark” may adversely affect the trading market for, return on, or value of “benchmark”-based securities.

In addition to the international proposals for the reform of “benchmarks” described above, there are numerous other proposals, initiatives, and investigations which may impact the use and regulation of “benchmarks”. For example, there are ongoing global investigations into the setting of foreign exchange rate “benchmarks,” which may result in further regulation around the setting of foreign exchange rates.

Any of the above changes or any other consequential changes to LIBOR, EURIBOR, or any other “benchmark” as a result of U.K., European Union, or other international, national, or other proposals for reform or other initiatives or investigations, or any further uncertainty in relation to the timing and manner of implementation of such changes could have a material adverse effect on the value of and return on any securities based on or linked to a “benchmark”.

Risks Relating to Notes Denominated or Payable in a Non-U.S. Dollar Currency

If you intend to invest in a non-U.S. dollar note —i.e., a note denominated in a non-U.S. dollar currency or a note whose principal and/or interest is payable in a currency other than U.S. dollars or that may be settled by delivery of a non-U.S. dollar currency or property denominated in a non-U.S. dollar currency — you should consult your own financial and legal advisors as to the currency risks entailed by your investment. Notes of this kind may not be an appropriate investment for investors who are unsophisticated with respect to non-U.S. dollar currency transactions. The information in this prospectus supplement is directed primarily at investors who are U.S. residents. Investors who are not U.S. residents should consult their own financial and legal advisors about currency-related risks particular to their investments.

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An Investment in a Non-U.S. Dollar Note Involves Currency-Related Risks

An investment in a non-U.S. dollar note entails significant risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a note that is payable solely in U.S. dollars and where settlement value is not otherwise based on a non-U.S. dollar currency. These risks include the possibility of significant changes in rates of exchange between the U.S. dollar and the various non-U.S. dollar currencies or composite currencies and the possibility of the imposition or modification of foreign exchange controls or other conditions by either the United States or non-U.S. governments. These risks generally depend on factors over which we have no control, such as economic and political events and the supply of, and demand for, the relevant currencies in the global markets.

Changes in Currency Exchange Rates Can Be Volatile and Unpredictable

Rates of exchange between the U.S. dollar and many other currencies have been highly volatile, and this volatility may continue and perhaps spread to other currencies in the future. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates could adversely affect an investment in a note denominated in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars. Depreciation of the specified currency against the U.S. dollar could result in a decrease in the U.S. dollar-equivalent value of payments on the note, including the principal payable at maturity. That in turn could cause the market value of the note to fall. Depreciation of the specified currency against the U.S. dollar could result in a loss to the investor on a U.S. dollar basis.

We Will Not Adjust Non-U.S. Dollar Notes to Compensate for Changes in Currency Exchange Rates

Except as described above or in the relevant pricing supplement or any applicable product supplement, we will not make any adjustment or change in the terms of a non-U.S. dollar note in the event of any change in exchange rates for the relevant currency, whether in the event of any devaluation, revaluation or imposition of exchange or other regulatory controls or taxes or in the event of other developments affecting that currency, the U.S. dollar or any other currency. Consequently, investors in non-U.S. dollar notes will bear the risk that their investment may be adversely affected by these types of events.

Government Policy Can Adversely Affect Currency Exchange Rates and, as a Result, the Return on an Investment in Non-U.S. Dollar Notes

Currency exchange rates can either float or be fixed by sovereign governments. From time to time, governments use a variety of techniques, such as intervention by a country’s central bank or imposition of regulatory controls or taxes, to affect the exchange rate of their currencies. Governments may also issue a new currency to replace an existing currency or alter the exchange rate or exchange characteristics by devaluation or revaluation of a currency. Thus, a special risk in purchasing non-U.S. dollar notes is that their yields or payouts could be significantly and unpredictably affected by governmental actions. Even in the absence of governmental action directly affecting currency exchange rates, political or economic developments in the country issuing the specified currency for a non-U.S. dollar note or elsewhere could lead to significant and sudden changes in the exchange rate between the U.S. dollar and the specified currency. These changes could affect the value of the non-U.S. dollar note as participants in the global currency markets move to buy or sell the specified currency or U.S. dollars in reaction to these developments.

Governments have imposed from time to time and may in the future impose exchange controls or other conditions, including taxes, with respect to the exchange or transfer of a specified currency that could affect exchange rates, as well as the availability of a specified currency for a security at its maturity or on any other payment date. In addition, the ability of a holder to move currency freely out of the country in which payment in the currency is received or to convert the currency at a freely determined market rate could be limited by governmental actions.

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Non-U.S. Dollar Notes May Permit Us to Make Payments in U.S. Dollars or Delay Payment If We Are Unable to Obtain the Specified Currency

Non-U.S. dollar notes may provide that, if the specified currency is subject to convertibility, transferability, market disruption or other conditions affecting its availability at or about the time when a payment on the notes comes due because of circumstances beyond our control, we will be entitled to make the payment in U.S. dollars or delay making the payment. These circumstances could include the imposition of exchange controls or our inability to obtain the specified currency because of a disruption in the currency markets. If we made payment in U.S. dollars, the exchange rate we would use would be determined in the manner described below under “Description of Notes We May Offer” under the subheading “Payment Mechanics — How We Will Make Payments Due in Other Currencies — When the Specified Currency Is Not Available”. A determination of this kind may be based on limited information and would involve discretion on the part of our exchange rate agent, which may be an affiliate of ours. As a result, the value of the payment in U.S. dollars an investor would receive on the payment date may be less than the value of the payment the investor would have received in the specified currency if it had been available, or may be zero. In addition, a government may impose extraordinary taxes on transfers of a currency. If that happens we will be entitled to deduct these taxes from any payment on securities payable in that currency.

In a Lawsuit for Payment on a Non-U.S. Dollar Note, an Investor May Bear Currency Exchange Risk

The notes will be governed by New York law. Under Section 27 of the New York Judiciary Law, a state court in the State of New York rendering a judgment on a non-U.S. dollar note would be required to render the judgment in the specified currency. However, the judgment would be converted into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate prevailing on the date of entry of the judgment. Consequently, in a lawsuit for payment on a non-U.S. dollar note, investors would bear currency exchange risk until judgment is entered, which may take a significant period of time.

In courts outside of New York, investors may not be able to obtain judgment in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars. For example, a judgment for money in an action based on a non-U.S. dollar note in many other U.S. federal or state courts ordinarily would be enforced in the United States only in U.S. dollars. The date used to determine the rate of conversion of the currency in which any particular security is denominated into U.S. dollars will depend upon various factors, including which court renders the judgment.

Information About Exchange Rates May Not Be Indicative of Future Performance

If we issue a non-U.S. dollar note, we may include with the relevant pricing supplement a currency supplement that provides information about historical exchange rates for the specified currency or currencies. Any information about exchange rates that we may provide will be furnished as a matter of information only, and you should not regard the information as indicative of the range of, or trends in, fluctuations in currency exchange rates that may occur in the future. That rate will likely differ from the exchange rate used under the terms that apply to a particular note.

Determinations Made by the Exchange Rate Agent

All determinations made by the exchange rate agent will be made in its sole discretion (except to the extent expressly provided in this prospectus or in the applicable prospectus supplement that any determination is subject to approval by Bank of Montreal). In the absence of manifest error, its determinations will be conclusive for all purposes and will bind all holders and us. The exchange rate agent will not have any liability for its determinations.

Non-U.S. Investors May Be Subject to Certain Additional Risks

If we issue a U.S. dollar note and you are a non-U.S. investor who purchased such notes with a currency other than U.S. dollars, changes in rates of exchange may have an adverse effect on the value, price or income of your investment.

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This prospectus supplement contains a general description of certain tax consequences relating to the notes. If you are a non-U.S. investor, you should consult your tax advisors as to the consequences, under the tax laws of the country where you are resident for tax purposes, of acquiring, holding and disposing of notes and receiving payments of principal or other amounts under the notes.

USE OF PROCEEDS

Except as otherwise set forth in the relevant pricing supplement, the Bank will use the net proceeds of the offering for general banking purposes. The Bank and/or its affiliates may use all or any portion of the proceeds in transactions intended to hedge the Bank’s obligations under the notes, including forward and option contracts.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NOTES WE MAY OFFER

You should carefully read the description of the terms and provisions of our debt securities and our senior indenture under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer” in the accompanying prospectus. That section, together with this prospectus supplement and the relevant pricing supplement and any applicable product supplement, summarizes all the material terms of our senior indenture and your note. They do not, however, describe every aspect of our senior indenture and your note. For example, in this section entitled “Description of the Notes We May Offer,” the accompanying prospectus, the relevant pricing supplement and any applicable product supplement, we use terms that have been given special meanings in our senior indenture, but we describe the meanings of only the more important of those terms. The specific terms of any series of notes will be described in the relevant pricing supplement and any applicable product supplement. As you read this section, please remember that the specific terms of your note as described in the relevant pricing supplement and any applicable product supplement will supplement, and may modify or replace, the general terms described in this section. If a relevant pricing supplement or product supplement is inconsistent with this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, the later supplement will control with regard to your note. Thus, the statements we make in this section may not apply to your note.

General

The notes will be issued under our senior indenture, dated as of January 25, 2010, between Bank of Montreal and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee, as amended from time to time, which we refer to as the “indenture”. The notes constitute part of a single series of debt securities of Bank of Montreal issued under the indenture. The term “debt securities,” as used in this prospectus supplement, refers to all senior debt securities, including the notes, issued and issuable from time to time under the indenture. The indenture is subject to, and governed by, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. The indenture is more fully described below in this section. Whenever we refer to specific provisions or defined terms in the indenture, those provisions or defined terms are incorporated in this prospectus supplement by reference. Capitalized terms which are not otherwise defined shall have the meanings given to them in the indenture.

The notes will be limited to an aggregate initial offering price of up to US$25,000,000,000 or, at our option, if so specified in the relevant pricing supplement or any applicable product supplement, the equivalent of this amount in any other currency or currency unit, and will be our direct, unsecured and unsubordinated obligations. This aggregate initial offering price is subject to reduction as a result of the sale by us of other securities pursuant to a separate prospectus supplement to the accompanying prospectus. The notes will not constitute savings accounts or deposits that are insured by the United States Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Deposit Insurance Fund, the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency or instrumentality or other entity.

We will offer the notes on a continuous basis through one or more agents listed in the section entitled “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” in this prospectus supplement. The indenture does not

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limit the aggregate principal amount of senior notes that we may issue. We may, from time to time, without the consent of the holders of the notes, provide for the issuance of notes or other debt securities under the indenture in addition to the US$25,000,000,000 aggregate initial offering price of notes noted on the cover of this prospectus supplement. Each note issued under this prospectus supplement will mature as specified in the relevant pricing supplement and may be subject to redemption or repayment before its stated maturity. Notes may be issued at significant discounts from their principal amount due on the stated maturity (or on any prior date on which the principal or an installment of principal of a note becomes due and payable, whether by the declaration of acceleration, call for redemption at our option, repayment at the option of the holder or otherwise), and some notes may not bear interest. We may from time to time, without the consent of the existing holders of the relevant notes, create and issue further notes having the same terms and conditions as such notes in some or all respects.

Unless we specify otherwise in any note and the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, currency amounts in this prospectus supplement are expressed in U.S. dollars. Unless we specify otherwise in any note and the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, the notes will be denominated in U.S. dollars and payments of principal and any premium and interest on the notes will be made in U.S. dollars. If any note is to be denominated other than exclusively in U.S. dollars, or if the principal of, and any premium or any interest on, the note is to be paid in one or more currencies (or currency units or in amounts determined by reference to an index or indices) other than that in which that note is denominated, additional information (including authorized denominations and related exchange rate information) will be provided in any note and the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement. Unless we specify otherwise in any note and the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, notes denominated in U.S. dollars will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000.

Interest or other amounts payable on the notes may differ depending upon, among other factors, the aggregate principal amount of notes purchased in any single transaction. Notes with different variable terms other than interest rates may also be offered concurrently to different investors. We may change the formulas used to calculate interest rates and other terms of notes from time to time, but no change of terms will affect any note we have previously issued or as to which we have accepted an offer to purchase.

Unless we specify otherwise in any note and the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, each note will be issued as a book-entry note in fully registered form without coupons. Each note issued in book-entry form may be represented by a global note that we deposit with and register in the name of a financial institution that we select, or its nominee. The financial institution that we select for this purpose is called the “depositary”. Unless we specify otherwise in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York (“DTC”), will be the depositary for all notes in global form. Except as discussed in the accompanying prospectus under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance,” owners of beneficial interests in book-entry notes will not be entitled to physical delivery of notes in certificated form. We will make payments of principal of, and any premium and interest on, the notes through the trustee to the depositary for the notes.

Legal Ownership

Street Name and Other Indirect Holders

Investors who hold their notes in accounts at banks or brokers will generally not be recognized by us as registered holders of notes (except as required by law). This is called holding in street name. Instead, we would recognize only the bank or broker, or the financial institution the bank or broker uses to hold its notes (except as required by law). These intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions pass along principal, interest and other payments on the notes, either because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. If you hold your notes in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

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Direct Holders

Our obligations, as well as the obligations of the trustee and those of any third parties employed by us or the trustee, under the notes run only to persons who are registered as holders of notes. As noted above, we generally do not have obligations to you if you hold in street name or other indirect means, either because you choose to hold your notes in that manner or because the notes are issued in the form of global securities as described below. For example, once we make payment to the registered holder we have no further responsibility for that payment, even if that holder is legally required to pass the payment along to you as a street name customer but does not do so.

Global Notes

A global note is a special type of indirectly held security, as described above under “Street Name and Other Indirect Holders”. If we choose to issue notes in the form of global notes, the ultimate beneficial owners of global notes can only be indirect holders. As described above under “Street Name and Other Indirect Holders,” we require that the global note be registered in the name of the depositary we select, or its nominee.

We also require that the notes included in the global note not be transferred to the name of any other direct holder except in the special circumstances described in the accompanying prospectus in the section “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance”. Any person wishing to own a global note must do so indirectly by virtue of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary. The relevant pricing supplement or product supplement will indicate whether your notes will be issued only in the form of global notes.

Further details of legal ownership are discussed in the accompanying prospectus in the section “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance”.

Types of Notes

We may issue the four types of notes described below. A note may have elements of each of the four types of notes described below. For example, a note may bear interest at a fixed rate for some periods and at a floating rate for other periods. Similarly, a note may provide for a payment of principal at maturity linked to an index and bear interest at a fixed or floating rate.

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If you are a holder of an indexed note, you may receive an amount at maturity that is greater than or less than the face amount of your note depending upon the value of the applicable index at maturity, and if the note is not principal protected, you may receive nothing at all. That value may fluctuate over time. If you purchase an indexed note the relevant pricing supplement will include information about the relevant index and how amounts that are to become payable will be determined by reference to that index. In addition, the relevant pricing supplement will specify whether your note will be payable in cash or exchangeable for securities of an issuer other than Bank of Montreal or other property. In some cases, interest on indexed notes may be subject to Canadian non-resident withholding tax. See “Canadian Taxation — Debt Securities” in the accompanying prospectus. The relevant pricing supplement will indicate whether Canadian non-resident withholding tax is exigible and whether there are additional Canadian federal income tax considerations relevant to the acquisition of indexed notes. Before you purchase any indexed note, you should read carefully the section entitled “Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Indexed Notes” above.

Optionally Convertible or Exchangeable Notes. The holder of an optionally convertible or exchangeable note may, during a specified period or at specific times, exchange the note for the underlying property at a specified rate of exchange. If specified in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, we will have the option to redeem the optionally convertible or exchangeable note prior to maturity. If the holder of an optionally convertible or exchangeable note does not elect to convert or exchange the note prior to maturity or on any redemption date, the holder will receive the principal amount of the note (and any premium) plus any accrued interest at maturity or upon redemption.

Mandatorily Convertible or Exchangeable Notes. At maturity, the holder of a mandatorily convertible or exchangeable note must, under certain circumstances, convert or exchange the note for the underlying property at a specified rate of conversion or exchange. Depending upon the value of the underlying property at maturity, the holder of a mandatorily convertible or exchangeable note may therefore receive less than the principal amount of the note at maturity. If so indicated in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, the specified rate at which a mandatorily convertible or exchangeable note may be converted or exchanged may vary depending on the value of the underlying property so that, upon conversion or exchange, the holder participates in a percentage, which may be less than, equal to, or greater than, 100% of the change in value of the underlying property. Mandatorily convertible or exchangeable notes may include notes where we have the right, but not the obligation, to require holders of notes to convert or exchange their notes for the underlying property.

Payments upon Conversion or Exchange. A relevant pricing supplement or product supplement will specify if upon conversion or exchange, at maturity or otherwise, the holder of a convertible or exchangeable note may receive, at the specified exchange rate, either the underlying property, the cash value of the underlying property

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or any combination of the foregoing. The underlying property may be the securities of either U.S. or foreign entities or both. The convertible or exchangeable notes may or may not provide for protection against fluctuations in the exchange rate between the currency in which that security is denominated and the currency or currencies in which the market prices of the underlying security or securities are quoted. Convertible or exchangeable notes may have other terms, which will be specified in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement.

Special Requirements for Conversion or Exchange of Global Notes. If an optionally convertible or exchangeable note is represented by a global note, the depositary’s nominee will be the holder of that note and therefore will be the only entity that can exercise a right to convert or exchange. In order to ensure that the depositary’s nominee will timely exercise a right to convert or exchange a particular optionally convertible or exchangeable note or any portion of that particular note, the beneficial owner of the note must instruct the broker or other direct or indirect participant through which it holds an interest in that note to notify the depositary of its desire to exercise a right to convert or exchange. Different firms have different deadlines for accepting instructions from their customers. Each beneficial owner should consult the broker or other participant through which it holds an interest in an optionally convertible or exchangeable note in order to ascertain the deadline for ensuring that timely notice will be delivered to the depositary.

Payments upon Acceleration of Maturity or upon Tax Redemption. If the principal amount payable at maturity of any convertible or exchangeable note is declared due and payable prior to maturity, the amount payable on:

Original Issue Discount Notes

A fixed rate note, a floating rate note or an indexed note may be an original issue discount note. A note of this type is issued at a price lower than its principal amount and provides that, upon redemption or acceleration of its maturity, an amount less than its principal amount will be payable. An original issue discount note may be a zero-coupon note. A note issued at a discount to its principal amount may, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, be considered an original issue discount note, regardless of the amount payable upon redemption or acceleration of maturity. See “United States Federal Income Taxation — Tax consequences to holders of our debt securities — Original Issue Discount” in the accompanying prospectus for a brief description of the U.S. federal income tax consequences of owning an original issue discount note.

Information in the Additional Supplements

The relevant pricing supplement (together with any applicable product supplement) will describe some or all of the following terms of your note:

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Market-Making Transactions

If you purchase your note in a market-making transaction, you will receive information about the price you pay and your trade and settlement dates in a separate confirmation of sale. A market-making transaction is one in which BMO Capital Markets Corp. or another of our affiliates resells a note that it has previously acquired from another holder. A market-making transaction in a particular note occurs after the original sale of the note. See “Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” in the accompanying prospectus and “Supplemental Plan of Distribution (Conflicts of Interest)” below.

Redemption at the Option of the Bank; No Sinking Fund

If an initial redemption date is specified in the relevant pricing supplement, we may redeem the particular notes prior to their stated maturity date at our option on any date on or after that initial redemption date in whole or from time to time in part in increments of any authorized denomination specified in the relevant pricing supplement (provided that any remaining principal amount thereof shall be at least the minimum authorized denomination applicable thereto), at the applicable redemption price (as defined below), together with any unpaid interest accrued thereon to the date of redemption. We must give written notice to registered holders of the particular notes to be redeemed at our option not more than 45 nor less than 30 calendar days prior to the date of redemption. “Redemption price,” with respect to a note, means an amount equal to the initial redemption percentage specified in the relevant pricing supplement (as adjusted by the annual redemption percentage reduction, if applicable) multiplied by the unpaid principal amount thereof to be redeemed. The initial redemption percentage, if any, applicable to a note normally shall decline at each anniversary of the initial

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redemption date by an amount equal to the applicable annual redemption percentage reduction, if any, until the redemption price is equal to 100% of the unpaid principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

Unless otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, the notes will not be subject to, or entitled to the benefit of, any sinking fund.

Repayment at the Option of the Holder

If one or more optional repayment dates are specified in the relevant pricing supplement, registered holders of the particular notes may require us to repay those notes prior to their stated maturity date on any optional repayment date in whole or from time to time in part in increments of any authorized denomination specified in the relevant pricing supplement (provided that any remaining principal amount thereof shall be at least the minimum authorized denomination applicable thereto), at the repayment price or prices specified in that pricing supplement, together with unpaid interest accrued thereon to the date of repayment. A registered holder’s exercise of the repayment option will be irrevocable.

For any note to be repaid, the trustee must receive, at its corporate trust office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, not more than 60 nor less than 30 calendar days prior to the date of repayment, the particular notes to be repaid and, in the case of a book-entry note, repayment instructions from the depositary. Only the depositary may exercise the repayment option in respect of global notes representing book-entry notes. Accordingly, beneficial owners of global notes that desire to have all or any portion of the book-entry notes represented thereby repaid must instruct the participant through which they own their interest to direct the depositary to exercise the repayment option on their behalf by forwarding the repayment instructions to the trustee as described above. In order to ensure that these instructions are received by the trustee on a particular day, the beneficial owner must so instruct the participant through which it owns its interest before that participant’s deadline for accepting instructions for that day. Different firms may have different deadlines for accepting instructions from their customers. Accordingly, beneficial owners should consult their participants for the respective deadlines. In addition, at the time repayment instructions are given, each beneficial owner shall cause the participant through which it owns its interest to transfer the beneficial owner’s interest in the global note representing the related book-entry notes, on the depositary’s records, to the trustee.

If applicable, we will comply with the requirements of Section 14(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules promulgated thereunder, and any other securities laws or regulations in connection with any repayment of notes at the option of the registered holders thereof.

We may at any time purchase notes at any price or prices in the open market or otherwise. Notes so purchased by us may, at our discretion, be held, resold or surrendered to the trustee for cancellation.

Interest

Each interest-bearing note will bear interest from its date of issue at the rate per annum, in the case of a fixed rate note, or based on the interest rate formula, in the case of a floating rate note, in each case as specified in the relevant pricing supplement, until the principal thereof is paid. Unless otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, we will make interest payments in respect of fixed rate notes and floating rate notes in an amount equal to the interest accrued from and including the immediately preceding interest payment date in respect of which interest has been paid or from and including the date of issue, if no interest has been paid, to but excluding the applicable interest payment date or the maturity date, as the case may be (each, an “interest period”).

Interest on fixed rate notes and floating rate notes will be payable in arrears on each interest payment date and on the maturity date (unless otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement). The first payment of interest on any note originally issued between a regular record date and the related interest payment date will be made on the interest payment date immediately following the next succeeding regular record date to the registered holder on the next succeeding regular record date. Unless we specify otherwise in

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the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, the “regular record date” shall be the fifteenth calendar day, whether or not a business day, immediately preceding the related interest payment date. “Business day” is defined below under “Interest Rates — Floating Rate Notes — Special Rate Calculation Terms”. For the purpose of determining the holder at the close of business on a regular record date when business is not being conducted, the close of business will mean 5:00 P.M., New York City time, on that day.

Interest Rates

This subsection describes the different kinds of interest rates that may apply to your note, if it bears interest.

Fixed Rate Notes

The relevant pricing supplement will specify the interest payment dates for a fixed rate note. Interest on fixed rate notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months or such other day count convention as may be set forth in the pricing supplement. For the purposes of disclosure under the Interest Act (Canada), and without affecting the interest payable on any fixed rate note, whenever the interest rate on any fixed rate note is to be calculated on the basis of a period of less than a calendar year, the yearly interest rate equivalent for such interest rate will be the interest rate multiplied by the actual number of days in the relevant calendar year and divided by the number of days used in calculating the specified interest rate.

If any interest payment date or the maturity date of a fixed rate note falls on a day that is not a business day, we will make the required payment of principal and any premium and interest on the next succeeding business day, and no additional interest will accrue in respect of the payment made on that next succeeding business day.

Floating Rate Notes

The following will apply to floating rate notes.

Interest Rate Basis. We currently expect to issue floating rate notes that bear interest at rates based on one or more of the following interest rate bases:

We describe each of the interest rate bases in further detail below in this subsection. If you purchase a floating rate note, the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement will specify the interest rate basis that applies to your note.

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Calculation of Interest. Calculations relating to floating rate notes will be made by the calculation agent, an institution that we appoint as our agent for this purpose. That institution may include any affiliate of ours, such as BMO Capital Markets Corp. The pricing supplement for a particular floating rate note will name the institution that we have appointed to act as the calculation agent for that note as of its original issue date. We may appoint a different institution to serve as calculation agent from time to time after the original issue date of the note without your consent and without notifying you of the change.

For each floating rate note, the calculation agent will determine, on the corresponding interest calculation date or on the interest determination date, as described below, the interest rate that takes effect on each interest reset date. In addition, the calculation agent will calculate the amount of interest that has accrued during each interest period. For each interest period, the calculation agent will calculate the amount of accrued interest by multiplying the face or other specified amount of the floating rate note by an accrued interest factor for the interest period. This factor will equal the sum of the interest factors calculated for each day during the interest period. The interest factor for each day will be expressed as a decimal and will be calculated by dividing the interest rate, also expressed as a decimal, applicable to that day by 360 or by the actual number of days in the year, as specified in the relevant pricing supplement. For the purposes of disclosure under the Interest Act (Canada), and without affecting the interest payable on any floating rate note, whenever the interest rate on any floating rate note is to be calculated on the basis of a period of less than a calendar year, the yearly interest rate equivalent for that interest rate will be the interest rate multiplied by the actual number of days in the relevant calendar year and divided by the number of days used in calculating the specified interest rate. In no event will the interest on any floating rate note be less than zero.

Upon the request of the holder of any floating rate note, the calculation agent will provide for that note the interest rate then in effect — and, if determined, the interest rate that will become effective on the next interest reset date. The calculation agent’s determination of any interest rate, and its calculation of the amount of interest for any interest period, will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.

All percentages resulting from any calculation relating to a note will be rounded upward or downward, as appropriate, to the next higher or lower one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, e.g., 9.876541% (or .09876541) being rounded down to 9.87654% (or .0987654) and 9.876545% (or .09876545) being rounded up to 9.87655% (or .0987655). All amounts used in or resulting from any calculation relating to a floating rate note will be rounded upward or downward, as appropriate, to the nearest cent, in the case of U.S. dollars, or to the nearest corresponding hundredth of a unit, in the case of a currency other than U.S. dollars, with one-half cent or one-half of a corresponding hundredth of a unit or more being rounded upward.

In determining the interest rate basis that applies to a floating rate note during a particular interest period, the calculation agent may obtain rate quotes from various banks or dealers active in the relevant market, as discussed below. Those reference banks and dealers may include the calculation agent itself and its affiliates, as well as any agent participating in the distribution of the relevant floating rate notes and its affiliates, and they may include our affiliates.

Initial Interest Rate. For any floating rate note, the interest rate in effect from the original issue date to the first interest reset date will be the initial interest rate. We will specify the initial interest rate or the manner in which it is determined in the relevant pricing supplement.

Spread or Spread Multiplier. In some cases, the interest rate basis for a floating rate note may be adjusted:

If you purchase a floating rate note, the relevant pricing supplement will indicate whether a spread or spread multiplier will apply to your note and, if so, the amount of the spread or spread multiplier.

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Maximum and Minimum Rates. The actual interest rate, after being adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, may also be subject to either or both of the following limits:

If you purchase a floating rate note, the relevant pricing supplement will indicate whether a maximum rate and/or minimum rate will apply to your note and, if so, what those rates are.

Whether or not a maximum rate applies, the interest rate on a floating rate note will in no event be higher than the maximum rate permitted by New York law, as it may be modified by U.S. law of general application, and the Criminal Code (Canada). Under current New York law, the maximum rate of interest, with some exceptions, for any loan in an amount less than $250,000 is 16% and for any loan in the amount of $250,000 or more but less than $2,500,000 is 25% per year on a simple interest basis. These limits do not apply to loans of $2,500,000 or more. The Criminal Code (Canada) limits the effective annual interest rate to 60%, although any amounts payable in excess of this limit would be paid out over time to ensure that such payments do not exceed 60% per year.

The rest of this subsection describes how the interest rate and the interest payment dates will be determined, and how interest will be calculated, on a floating rate note.

Interest Reset Dates. The rate of interest on a floating rate note will be reset, by the calculation agent described below, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually. The date on which the interest rate resets and the reset rate becomes effective is called the interest reset date. Except as otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement, the interest reset date will be as follows:

For a floating rate note, the interest rate in effect on any particular day will be the interest rate determined with respect to the latest interest reset date that occurs on or before that day. There are several exceptions, however, to the reset provisions described above.

If any interest reset date for a floating rate note would otherwise be a day that is not a business day, the interest reset date will be postponed to the next day that is a business day. For a LIBOR or EURIBOR note, however, if that business day is in the next succeeding calendar month, the interest reset date will be the immediately preceding business day.

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Interest Determination Dates. The interest rate that takes effect on an interest reset date will be determined by the calculation agent by reference to a particular date called an interest determination date. Except as otherwise indicated in the relevant pricing supplement:

The interest determination date pertaining to a floating rate note the interest rate of which is determined with reference to two or more interest rate bases will be the latest business day which is at least two business days before the related interest reset date for the applicable floating rate note on which each interest rate basis is determinable.

Interest Calculation Dates. As described above, the interest rate that takes effect on a particular interest reset date will be determined by reference to the corresponding interest determination date. Except for LIBOR notes and EURIBOR notes, however, the determination of the rate will actually be made on a day no later than the corresponding interest calculation date. Except as specified in the relevant pricing supplement, the interest calculation date will be the earlier of the following:

The calculation agent need not wait until the relevant interest calculation date to determine the interest rate if the rate information it needs to make the determination is available from the relevant sources sooner.

Interest Payment Dates. The interest payment dates for a floating rate note will depend on when the interest rate is reset and, unless we specify otherwise in the relevant pricing supplement, will be as follows:

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Regardless of these rules, if a note is originally issued after the regular record date and before the date that would otherwise be the first interest payment date, the first interest payment date will be the date that would otherwise be the second interest payment date.

In addition, the following special provision will apply to a floating rate note with regard to any interest payment date other than one that falls on the maturity date. If the interest payment date would otherwise fall on a day that is not a business day, then the interest payment date will be the next day that is a business day. If the maturity date of a floating rate note falls on a day that is not a business day, we will make the required payment of principal and any premium and interest on the next succeeding business day, and no additional interest will accrue in respect of the payment made on that next succeeding business day. However, unless otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement, if the floating rate note is a LIBOR note or a EURIBOR note and the next business day falls in the next calendar month, then the interest payment date or the date that the payment of principal and any premium will be made will be the immediately preceding business day.

Calculation Agent. We have initially appointed BMO Capital Markets Corp. as our calculation agent for the notes. See “Calculation of Interest” above for details regarding the role of the calculation agent.

The following are summaries of anticipated interest rate bases:

Commercial Paper Rate Notes. If you purchase a commercial paper rate note, your note will bear interest at an interest rate equal to the commercial paper rate and adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, if any, indicated in the relevant pricing supplement.

The commercial paper rate will be the money market yield of the rate, for the relevant interest determination date, for commercial paper having the index maturity indicated in the relevant pricing supplement, as published in H.15(519) under the heading “Commercial Paper — Nonfinancial”. If the commercial paper rate cannot be determined as described above, the following procedures will apply.

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U.S. Prime Rate Notes. If you purchase a U.S. prime rate note, your note will bear interest at an interest rate equal to the U.S. prime rate and adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, if any, indicated in the relevant pricing supplement.

The U.S. prime rate will be the rate, for the relevant interest determination date, published in H.15(519) under the heading “Bank prime loan”. If the U.S. prime rate cannot be determined as described above, the following procedures will apply.

LIBOR Notes. If you purchase a LIBOR note, your note will bear interest at an interest rate equal to LIBOR, which will be the London interbank offered rate for deposits in U.S. dollars or any other index currency, as noted in the relevant pricing supplement. In addition, when LIBOR is the interest rate basis the applicable LIBOR rate will be adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, if any, indicated in the relevant pricing supplement. LIBOR will be determined in the following manner:

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EURIBOR Notes. If you purchase a EURIBOR note, your note will bear interest at an interest rate equal to the interest rate for deposits in euro, designated as “EURIBOR” and sponsored jointly by the European Banking Federation and ACI — the Financial Market Association, or any company established by the joint sponsors for purposes of compiling and publishing that rate. In addition, when EURIBOR is the interest rate basis the EURIBOR base rate will be adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, if any, specified in the relevant pricing supplement. EURIBOR will be determined in the following manner:

Treasury Rate Notes. If you purchase a treasury rate note, your note will bear interest at an interest rate equal to the treasury rate and adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, if any, indicated in the relevant pricing supplement.

The treasury rate will be the rate for the auction, on the relevant treasury interest determination date, of treasury bills having the index maturity specified in the relevant pricing supplement, as that rate appears on Reuters screen USAUCTION10 or USAUCTION11 page under the heading “INVEST RATE”. If the treasury rate cannot be determined in this manner, the following procedures will apply.

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CMT Rate Notes. If you purchase a CMT rate note, your note will bear interest at an interest rate equal to the CMT rate and adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, if any, indicated in the relevant pricing supplement.

The CMT rate will be the following rate as published in H.15(519) opposite the heading “Treasury constant maturities,” as that rate is displayed on the designated CMT Reuters page under the column for the designated CMT index maturity:

If the CMT rate cannot be determined in this manner, the following procedures will apply.

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CMS Rate Notes. If you purchase a CMS rate note, your note will bear interest at an interest rate equal to the CMS rate and adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, if any, indicated in the relevant pricing supplement.

The CMS rate will be the rate, on the relevant interest determination date, displayed on the Reuters screen ICESWAP1 page (or any page that may replace that page) by 11:00 A.M., New York City time.

CPI Rate Notes. If you purchase a CPI rate note, your note will bear interest at an interest rate equal to the CPI rate and adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, if any, indicated in the relevant pricing supplement.

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Except as otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement, the CPI rate will be the rate, determined as of the relevant interest determination date, expressed as a percentage and calculated in accordance with the following formula:

Federal Funds Rate Notes. If you purchase a federal funds rate note, your note will bear interest at an interest rate equal to the federal funds rate and adjusted by the spread or spread multiplier, if any, indicated in the relevant pricing supplement.

The federal funds rate will be the rate for U.S. dollar federal funds on the relevant interest determination date, as published in H.15(519) under the heading “Federal funds (effective),” as that rate is displayed on Reuters screen FEDFUNDS1 page under the heading “EFFECT”. If the federal funds rate cannot be determined in this manner, the following procedures will apply.

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Special Rate Calculation Terms. In this subsection entitled “Interest Rates,” we use several terms that have special meanings relevant to calculating floating interest rates. We define these terms as follows:

The term “bond equivalent yield” means a yield expressed as a percentage and calculated in accordance with the following formula:

where

“D” means the annual rate for treasury bills quoted on a bank discount basis and expressed as a decimal;

“N” means 365 or 366, as the case may be; and

“M” means the actual number of days in the applicable interest reset period.

The term “business day” means, for any note, a day that meets all the following applicable requirements:

The term “designated CMT index maturity” means the index maturity for a CMT rate note and will be the original period to maturity of a U.S. treasury security — either 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10, 20 or 30 years — specified in the relevant pricing supplement.

The term “designated CMT Reuters page” means the Reuters page mentioned in the relevant pricing supplement that displays treasury constant maturities as reported in H.15(519). If no Reuters page is so specified, then the applicable page will be Reuters screen FEDCMT page. If Reuters screen FEDCMT page applies but the relevant pricing supplement does not specify whether the weekly or monthly average applies, the weekly average will apply.

The term “euro business day” means any day on which the Trans-European Automated Real-Time Gross Settlement Express Transfer (TARGET2) System, or any successor system, is open for business.

The term “euro-zone” means, at any time, the region comprised of the member states of the European Economic and Monetary Union that, as of that time, have adopted a single currency in accordance with the Treaty on European Union of February 1992, as it may be amended from time to time.

“H.15(519)” means the weekly statistical release entitled “Statistical Release H.15(519),” or any successor publication, published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

“H.15 daily update” means the daily update of H.15(519) available through the Internet website of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, at http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h15/update, or any successor site or publication.

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The term “index currency” means, with respect to a LIBOR note, the currency specified as such in the relevant pricing supplement. The index currency may be U.S. dollars or any other currency, and will be U.S. dollars unless another currency is specified in the relevant pricing supplement.

The term “index maturity” means, with respect to a floating rate note, the period to maturity of the instrument or obligation on which the interest rate formula is based, as specified in the relevant pricing supplement.

“London business day” means any day on which dealings in the relevant index currency are transacted in the London interbank market.

The term “money market yield” means a yield expressed as a percentage and calculated in accordance with the following formula:

where

“D” means the annual rate for commercial paper quoted on a bank discount basis and expressed as a decimal; and

“M” means the actual number of days in the relevant interest reset period.

The term “principal financial center” means the capital city of the country to which an index currency relates (or the capital city of the country issuing the specified currency, as applicable), except that with respect to U.S. dollars, Australian dollars, Canadian dollars, South African rands and Swiss francs, the “principal financial center” means The City of New York, Sydney, Toronto, Johannesburg and Zurich, respectively, and with respect to euros, the principal financial center means London.

The term “representative amount” means an amount that, in the calculation agent’s judgment, is representative of a single transaction in the relevant market at the relevant time.

“Reuters screen” means the display on the Thomson Reuters 3000 Xtra service, or any successor or replacement service, on the page or pages specified in this prospectus supplement or in the relevant pricing supplement, or any successor or replacement page or pages on that service.

“Reuters screen EURIBOR01 page” means the display on the Reuters screen page titled “EURIBOR01” on which EURIBOR rates of major banks for the euro are displayed.

“Reuters screen FEDFUNDS1 page” means the display on the Reuters screen page titled “FEDFUNDS1” on which U.S. dollar federal funds rates are displayed.

“Reuters screen ICESWAP1 page” means the display on the Reuters screen page titled “ICESWAP1” on which CMS rates are displayed.

“Reuters screen LIBOR page” means the display on the Reuters screen page titled “LIBOR01” or “LIBOR02”, as specified in the relevant pricing supplement, on which London interbank rates of major banks for the relevant index currency are displayed.

“Reuters screen USAUCTION10 or USAUCTION11 page” means the display on the Reuters screen page titled “USAUCTION10” or “ USAUCTION11” on which U.S. Treasury auction rates are displayed.

“Reuters screen US PRIME 1 page” means the display on the Reuters screen page titled “US PRIME 1” for the purpose of displaying prime rates or base lending rates of major U.S. banks.

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If, when we use the terms designated CMT Reuters page, H.15(519), H.15 daily update, Reuters screen EURIBOR01 page, Reuters screen FEDFUNDS1 page, Reuters screen ICESWAP1 page, Reuters screen LIBOR01 page or LIBOR02 page, Reuters screen USAUCTION10 or USAUCTION11 page or Reuters screen US PRIME 1 page, or, we refer to a particular heading or headings on any of those pages, those references include any successor or replacement heading or headings as determined by the calculation agent.

Payment Mechanics

Who Receives Payment?

If interest is due on a note on an interest payment date, we will pay the interest to the person or entity in whose name the note is registered at the close of business on the regular record date relating to the interest payment date. If interest is due at maturity but on a day that is not an interest payment date, we will pay the interest to the person or entity entitled to receive the principal of the note. If principal or another amount besides interest is due on a note at maturity, we will pay the amount to the holder of the note against surrender of the note at a proper place of payment (or, in the case of a global note, in accordance with the applicable policies of the depositary).

How We Will Make Payments Due in U.S. Dollars

We will follow the practice described in this subsection when paying amounts due in U.S. dollars. Payments of amounts due in other currencies will be made as described in the next subsection.

Payments on Global Notes. We will make payments on a global note directly to the registered holder, which will be the depositary or its nominee, and otherwise in accordance with the applicable policies of the depositary as in effect from time to time. We will not make payments to any indirect holders who own beneficial interests in the global note. An indirect holder’s right to receive those payments will be governed by the rules and practices of the depositary and its participants, as described under “Global Notes” and in the accompanying prospectus in the section “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance”.

Payments on Non-Global Notes. We will make payments on a note in non-global form as follows. We will pay interest that is due on an interest payment date by check mailed on the interest payment date to the holder at his or her address shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the regular record date. We will make all other payments by check at the paying agent described below, against surrender of the note in the case of principal and any other amounts due at maturity. All payments by check will be made in next-day funds — i.e., funds that become available on the day after the check is cashed.

Alternatively, if a non-global note has a face amount of at least $1,000,000 and the holder asks us to do so, we will pay any amount that becomes due on the note by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank in New York City, on the due date. To request wire payment, the holder must give the paying agent appropriate wire transfer instructions at least five business days before the requested wire payment is due. In the case of any interest payment due on an interest payment date, the instructions must be given by the person or entity who is the holder on the relevant regular record date. In the case of any other payment, payment will be made only after the note is surrendered to the paying agent. Any wire instructions, once properly given, will remain in effect unless and until new instructions are given in the manner described above.

How We Will Make Payments Due In Other Currencies

We will follow the practice described in this subsection when paying amounts that are due in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars.

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Payments on Global Notes. We will make payments on a global note in accordance with the relevant policies as in effect from time to time of the depositary, which, unless otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, will be DTC, Euroclear or Clearstream. Unless we specify otherwise in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, DTC will be the depositary for all notes in global form. We understand that DTC’s policies, as currently in effect, are as follows.

Unless otherwise indicated in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement, if you are an indirect holder of global notes denominated in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars and if you elect to receive payments in that other currency, you must notify the participant through which your interest in the global note is held of your election:

You may elect to receive all or only a portion of any interest, principal or premium payment in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars.

Your participant must, in turn, notify DTC of your election on or before the third DTC business day after that regular record date, in the case of a payment of interest, and on or before the 12th DTC business day prior to stated maturity, or on the redemption or repayment date if your note is redeemed or repaid earlier, in the case of a payment of principal or any premium.

DTC, in turn, will notify the paying agent of your election in accordance with DTC’s procedures.

If complete instructions are received by the participant and forwarded by the participant to DTC, and by DTC to the paying agent, on or before the dates noted above, the paying agent, in accordance with DTC’s instructions will make the payments to you or your participant by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the country issuing the specified currency or in another jurisdiction acceptable to us and the paying agent.

If the foregoing steps are not properly completed, we expect DTC to inform the paying agent that payment is to be made in U.S. dollars. In that case, we or our agent will convert the payment to U.S. dollars in the manner described below under “Conversion to U.S. Dollars”. We expect that we or our agent will then make the payment in U.S. dollars to DTC and that DTC in turn will pass it along to its participants.

Payments on Non-Global Notes. Except as described in the last paragraph under this heading, we will make payments on notes in non-global form in the applicable specified currency. We will make these payments by wire transfer of immediately available funds to any account that is maintained in the applicable specified currency at a bank designated by the holder that is acceptable to us and the trustee. To designate an account for wire payment, the holder must give the paying agent appropriate wire instructions at least five business days before the requested wire payment is due. In the case of any interest payment due on an interest payment date, the instructions must be given by the person or entity who is the holder on the regular record date. In the case of any other payment (including payments of principal and any other amounts due at maturity), the payment will be made only after the note is surrendered to the paying agent. Any instructions, once properly given, will remain in effect unless and until new instructions are properly given in the manner described above.

If a holder fails to give instructions as described above, we will notify the holder at the address in the trustee’s records and will make the payment within five business days after the holder provides appropriate

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instructions. With respect to payments of interest, if the holder fails to give appropriate instructions for payment within 30 days after the notice described above has been delivered, we may, but are not required to, at our option, make such interest payment by check mailed to the holder at his or her address shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the applicable regular record date. Any late payment made in these circumstances will be treated under the indenture as if made on the due date, and no interest will accrue on the late payment from the due date to the date paid.

Although a payment on a note in non-global form may be due in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars, we will make the payment in U.S. dollars if the holder asks us to do so. To request U.S. dollar payment, the holder must provide appropriate written notice to the trustee at least five business days before the next due date for which payment in U.S. dollars is requested. In the case of any interest payment due on an interest payment date, the request must be made by the person or entity who is the holder on the regular record date. Any request, once properly made, will remain in effect unless and until revoked by notice properly given in the manner described above.

Conversion to U.S. Dollars. When we are asked by a holder to make payments in U.S. dollars of an amount due in another currency, either on a global note or a non-global note as described above, the exchange rate agent described below will calculate the U.S. dollar amount the holder receives in the exchange rate agent’s discretion.

A holder that requests payment in U.S. dollars will bear all associated currency exchange costs, which will be deducted from the payment.

When the Specified Currency is Not Available. If we are obligated to make any payment in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars, and the specified currency or any successor currency is not available to us due to circumstances beyond our control — such as the imposition of exchange controls or a disruption in the currency markets — we will be entitled to satisfy our obligation to make the payment in that specified currency by making the payment in U.S. dollars, on the basis of the exchange rate determined by the exchange rate agent described below, in its discretion.

The foregoing will apply to any note, whether in global or non-global form, and to any payment, including a payment at maturity. Any payment made under the circumstances and in a manner described above will not result in a default under any note or the indenture.

Exchange Rate Agent. If we issue a note in a specified currency other than U.S. dollars, we will appoint a financial institution to act as the exchange rate agent and will name the institution initially appointed when the note is originally issued in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement. We may select BMO Capital Markets Corp. or another of our affiliates to perform this role. We may change the exchange rate agent from time to time after the original issue date of the note without your consent and without notifying you of the change.

All determinations made by the exchange rate agent will be at its sole discretion unless we state in the relevant pricing supplement or product supplement that any determination requires our approval. In the absence of manifest error, those determinations will be conclusive for all purposes and binding on you and us, without any liability on the part of the exchange rate agent.

Payment When Offices Are Closed

If any payment is due on a note on a day that is not a business day, we will make the payment on the next day that is a business day. Payments postponed to the next business day in this situation will be treated under the

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indenture as if they were made on the original due date. Postponement of this kind will not result in a default under any note or the indenture, and no interest will accrue on the postponed amount from the original due date to the next day that is a business day. The term business day has a special meaning, which we describe above under “Interest Rates — Floating Rate Notes — Special Rate Calculation Terms”.

Paying Agent

We may appoint one or more financial institutions to act as our paying agents, at whose designated offices notes in non-global form may be surrendered for payment at their maturity. We call each of those offices a paying agent. We are required to appoint a paying agent in each place of payment for the notes. We may add, replace or terminate paying agents from time to time. We may also choose to act as our own paying agent. We have appointed Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as the initial paying agent. We must notify you of changes in the paying agents.

Unclaimed Payments

Regardless of who acts as paying agent, all money paid by us to a paying agent that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after the amount is due to a holder will be repaid to us. After that two-year period, the holder may look only to us for payment and not to the trustee, any other paying agent or anyone else.

Notices

Notices to be given to holders of a global note will be given only to the depositary, in accordance with its applicable policies as in effect from time to time. Notices to be given to holders of notes not in global form will be sent by mail to the respective addresses of the holders as they appear in the trustee’s records, and will be deemed given when mailed.

Neither the failure to give any notice to a particular holder, nor any defect in a notice given to a particular holder, will affect the sufficiency of any notice given to another holder.

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive notices.

Withholding

The Bank or the applicable paying agent will deduct or withhold from a payment on a note any present or future tax, duty, assessment or other governmental charge that the Bank determines is required by law or the interpretation or administration thereof to be deducted or withheld. Payments on a note will not be increased by any amount to offset such deduction or withholding, unless otherwise specified in the relevant pricing supplement and/or product supplement.

Other Provisions; Addenda

Any provisions relating to the notes, including the determination of the interest rate basis, calculation of the interest rate applicable to a floating rate note, its interest payment dates, any redemption or repayment provisions, or any other term relating thereto, may be modified and/or supplemented by the terms as specified under “Other Provisions” on the face of the applicable notes or in an addendum relating to the applicable notes, if so specified on the face of the applicable notes, and, in each case, in the relevant pricing supplement and/or product supplement.

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CERTAIN INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES

Certain Canadian Income Tax Considerations

Investors should read carefully the summary of principal Canadian federal income tax considerations of holding debt securities under “Canadian Taxation” in the accompanying prospectus. The relevant pricing supplement will indicate whether there are additional Canadian federal income tax considerations.

United States Federal Income Taxation

Investors should read carefully the description of material United States federal income tax consequences of owning debt securities under “United States Federal Income Taxation” in the accompanying prospectus. It is the opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, United States tax counsel to Bank of Montreal, that commercial paper rate notes, U.S. prime rate notes, LIBOR notes, EURIBOR notes, treasury rate notes, CMT rate notes, CMS rate notes and federal funds rate notes generally will be treated as variable rate debt securities under the rules described under “United States Federal Income Taxation — Tax consequences to holders of our debt securities — Original Issue Discount — Variable Rate Debt Securities” in the accompanying prospectus, provided that (i) such notes meet the principal payments requirement discussed therein; (ii) the spread multiplier, if any, satisfies the restrictions discussed therein; (iii) the maximum and minimum rates, if any, satisfy the restrictions discussed therein; and (iv) interest on the notes is paid or compounded at least annually as discussed therein. The tax treatment of any CPI rate notes will be addressed in the applicable pricing supplement.

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SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION (CONFLICTS OF INTEREST)

We and BMO Capital Markets Corp., as the agent, have entered into a distribution agreement with respect to the notes. Subject to certain conditions, the agent has agreed to use its reasonable efforts to solicit purchases of the notes. We have the right to accept offers to purchase notes and may reject any proposed purchase of the notes. The agent may also reject any offer to purchase notes. We will pay the agent a commission on any notes sold through the agent. The commission is expected to range from 0% to 3% of the principal amount of the notes for fixed rate and floating rate notes, depending on the stated maturity of the notes. The commission is expected to range from 1% to 5% of the principal amount of the notes for indexed and other structured notes, or such other amount as may be agreed between the agent and Bank of Montreal. Under no circumstances will underwriting compensation exceed 8% of the offering proceeds.

We may also sell notes to the agent, who will purchase the notes as principal for its own account. In that case, the agent will purchase the notes at a price equal to the issue price specified in the relevant pricing supplement, less any discount or commission to be agreed with us at the time of the offering.

The agent may resell any notes it purchases as principal to other brokers or dealers at a discount, which may include all or part of the discount the agent received from us. If all the notes are not sold at the initial offering price, the agent may change the offering price and the other selling terms.

We may also sell notes directly to investors. We will not pay commissions on notes we sell directly.

We have reserved the right to withdraw, cancel or modify the offer made by this prospectus supplement without notice and may reject orders in whole or in part whether placed directly with us or with an agent. No termination date has been established for the offering of the notes.

The agent, whether acting as agent or principal, may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). We have agreed to indemnify the agent against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments made in respect of those liabilities.

If the agent sells notes to dealers who resell to investors and the agent pays the dealers all or part of the discount or commission they receive from us, those dealers may also be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the Securities Act.

Unless otherwise indicated in any additional applicable supplement, payment of the purchase price of notes, other than notes denominated in a non-U.S. dollar currency, will be required to be made in funds immediately available in The City of New York. The notes will be in the Same Day Funds Settlement System at DTC and, to the extent the secondary market trading in the notes is effected through the facilities of such depositary, such trades will be settled in immediately available funds.

We may appoint agents, other than or in addition to BMO Capital Markets Corp., with respect to the notes. Any other agents will be named in the relevant pricing supplements and those agents will enter into the distribution agreement referred to above. The other agents may be affiliates or customers of Bank of Montreal and may engage in transactions with and perform services for Bank of Montreal in the ordinary course of business. BMO Capital Markets Corp. may resell notes to or through another of our affiliates, as selling agent.

The notes are a new issue of securities, and there will be no established trading market for any note before its original issue date. We do not plan to list the notes on a securities exchange or quotation system. If we determine to list particular notes on a securities exchange or quotation system, the relevant pricing supplement or an applicable product supplement will so state. We have been advised by BMO Capital Markets Corp. that it intends to make a market in the notes. However, neither BMO Capital Markets Corp. nor any of our other affiliates nor any other agent named in the relevant pricing supplement that makes a market is obligated to do so, and any of them may stop doing so at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity or trading market for the notes.

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This prospectus supplement may be used by BMO Capital Markets Corp. in connection with offers and sales of the notes in market-making transactions. In a market-making transaction, BMO Capital Markets Corp. may resell a note it acquires from other holders after the original offering and sale of the note. Resales of this kind may occur in the open market or may be privately negotiated, at prevailing market prices at the time of resale or at related or negotiated prices. In these transactions, BMO Capital Markets Corp. may act as principal or agent, including as agent for the counterparty in a transaction in which BMO Capital Markets Corp. acts as principal, or as agent for both counterparties in a transaction in which BMO Capital Markets Corp. does not act as principal. BMO Capital Markets Corp. may receive compensation in the form of discounts and commissions, including from both counterparties in some cases. Other affiliates of Bank of Montreal may also engage in transactions of this kind and may use this prospectus supplement for this purpose.

The aggregate initial offering price specified on the cover of this prospectus supplement relates to the initial offering of new notes we may issue on and after the date of this prospectus supplement. This amount does not include notes that may be resold in market-making transactions. The latter includes notes that we may issue going forward as well as notes we have previously issued.

Bank of Montreal does not expect to receive any proceeds from market-making transactions. Bank of Montreal does not expect that BMO Capital Markets Corp. or any other affiliate that engages in these transactions will pay any proceeds from its market-making resales to Bank of Montreal.

Information about the trade and settlement dates, as well as the purchase price, for a market-making transaction will be provided to the purchaser in a separate confirmation of sale.

Unless Bank of Montreal or an agent informs you in your confirmation of sale that your note is being purchased in its original offering and sale, you may assume that you are purchasing your note in a market-making transaction.

In this prospectus supplement, the term “this offering” means the initial offering of the notes made in connection with their original issuance. This term does not refer to any subsequent resales of notes in market-making transactions.

The agent may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Over-allotment involves syndicate sales in excess of the offering size, which creates a syndicate short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Syndicate covering transactions involve purchases of the notes in the open market after the distribution has been completed in order to cover syndicate short positions. Penalty bids permit reclaiming a selling concession from a syndicate member when the notes originally sold by such syndicate member are purchased in a syndicate covering transaction to cover syndicate short positions. Such stabilizing transactions, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids may stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market prices of the notes, which may be higher than they would otherwise be in the absence of such transactions. The agents are not required to engage in these activities, and may end any of these activities at any time.

In addition to offering notes through the agents as discussed above, other medium-term notes that have terms substantially similar to the terms of the notes offered by this prospectus supplement may in the future be offered, concurrently with the offering of the notes, on a continuing basis by Bank of Montreal. Any such notes sold pursuant to the distribution agreement or sold by Bank of Montreal directly to investors would reduce the aggregate amount of notes which may be offered by this prospectus supplement.

Conflicts of Interest

BMO Capital Markets Corp., is an affiliate of Bank of Montreal and, as such, has a “conflict of interest” in this offering within the meaning of FINRA Rule 5121, as administered by the Financial Industry Regulatory

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Authority, or FINRA. Consequently, this offering is being conducted in compliance with the applicable provisions of Rule 5121. In general, under that rule, no qualified independent underwriter is expected to be required. BMO Capital Markets Corp. is not permitted to sell notes in this offering to accounts over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder.

Selling Restrictions Outside the United States

Bank of Montreal has taken no action that would permit a public offering of the notes or possession or distribution of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus or any other offering material in any jurisdiction outside the United States where action for that purpose is required. Accordingly, the agent has agreed, and each other agent will be required to agree, that:

With regard to each note, the relevant purchaser will be required to comply with those restrictions that Bank of Montreal and the relevant purchaser shall agree and as shall be set out in the relevant pricing supplement.

DOCUMENTS FILED AS PART OF THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

In addition to the documents specified in the accompanying prospectus under “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference,” the following documents will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and incorporated by reference as part of the registration statement to which this prospectus supplement relates (the “Registration Statement”): (i) the Distribution Agreement, dated April 27, 2017, between us and the agent, (ii) the Calculation Agency Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2017, between us and BMO Capital Markets Corp., and (iii) the Exchange Rate Agency Agreement, dated as of April 27, 2017, between us and BMO Capital Markets Corp. Such documents will not be incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus. Additional exhibits to the Registration Statement to which this prospectus supplement relates may be subsequently filed in reports on Form 40-F or on Form 6-K that specifically state that those materials are incorporated by reference as exhibits in Part II of the Registration Statement.

No dealer, salesperson or other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representation not contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any additional applicable supplement or any free writing prospectus that we have authorized, and, if given or made, such information or representation must not be relied upon as having been authorized by Bank of Montreal or the agent. This prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any additional applicable supplement and any free writing prospectus that we authorize do not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities other than the securities described in the relevant pricing supplement nor do they constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. The delivery of this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus, any additional applicable supplement and any free writing prospectus that we authorize at any time does not imply that the information they contain is correct as of any time subsequent to their respective dates.

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Common Shares

Class A Preferred Shares

Class B Preferred Shares

Senior Debt Securities

Subordinated Debt Securities

up to an aggregate initial offering price of US$25,000,000,000

or the equivalent thereof in other currencies.

We may offer from time to time common shares, class A preferred shares, class B preferred shares, senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities. We may offer the securities separately or together, in separate series or classes and in amounts, at prices and on terms described in one or more supplements to this prospectus.

This prospectus provides information about us and describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities. The specific terms of any securities to be offered, and any other information relating to a specific offering, will be set forth in one or more supplements to this prospectus, which may be filed separately or included in a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, or may be set forth in one or more documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. The supplements to this prospectus will provide the specific terms of the plan of distribution. This prospectus may not be used to offer and sell securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.

Our common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol “BMO”. On April 26, 2017, the last reported sales price of our common shares on the New York Stock Exchange was US$73.29 per share and the last reported sales price of our common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange was CD$99.70 per share.

You should read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement carefully before you invest in any of our securities.

Investing in these securities involves certain risks. To read about certain factors you should consider before buying any of the Securities, see the “Risk Factors” section on page 8 of this prospectus and in our most recent annual report on Form 40-F, which is incorporated by reference herein, as well as any other reports on Form 6-K that are specifically incorporated by reference herein and, if any, in an applicable prospectus supplement.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of the securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Prospective investors should be aware that the acquisition of the securities described herein may have tax consequences both in the United States and in Canada. Such consequences for investors who are resident in, or citizens of, the United States may not be described fully herein or in any applicable prospectus supplement.

The enforcement by investors of civil liabilities under the United States federal securities laws may be affected adversely by the fact that Bank of Montreal is a Canadian bank, that many of its officers and directors are residents of Canada, that some or all of the underwriters or experts named in the Registration Statement may be residents of Canada, and that all or a substantial portion of the assets of Bank of Montreal and said persons may be located outside the United States.

The senior debt securities and subordinated debt securities will be our unsecured obligations and will not be savings accounts or deposits that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Deposit Insurance Fund or any other governmental agency or under the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act or any other deposit insurance regime.

We may use this prospectus in the initial sale of any securities. In addition, we or any of our affiliates, including BMO Capital Markets Corp., may use this prospectus in a market-making or other transaction in any security after its initial sale. Unless we or our agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this prospectus is being used in a market-making transaction.

This prospectus is dated April 27, 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

General

This document is called a prospectus and is part of a registration statement that we filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf” registration or continuous offering process. Under this shelf registration, we may from time to time sell any combination of the common shares, class A preferred shares, class B preferred shares (together with the class A preferred shares, the “preferred shares”), senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings, and which we collectively refer to herein as the “securities”. The Registration Statement containing this prospectus, including exhibits to the Registration Statement, provides additional information about us and the securities offered under this prospectus. The Registration Statement can be read at the SEC web site or at the SEC office mentioned under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information”.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we sell securities under this shelf registration statement we will provide one or more supplements to this prospectus containing specific information about the terms of the securities being offered. Any such supplements, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “applicable supplements”, may include a discussion of any additional risk factors or other special considerations that apply to those securities and may also add to, update or change the information in this prospectus. The applicable supplements relating to each series of debt securities will be attached to the front of this prospectus. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and any applicable supplement, you should rely on the information in the most recent applicable supplement. We urge you to read carefully both this prospectus and any applicable supplement accompanying this prospectus, together with the information incorporated herein and in any applicable supplement by reference under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information”, before deciding whether to invest in any of the securities being offered.

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We are responsible for the information provided in this prospectus and the applicable supplements, including the information incorporated by reference. We have not authorized anyone to give you any other information or to make any representation different from or in addition to that contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any applicable supplement and take no responsibility for any other information that others may give you. If you are in a jurisdiction where offers to sell, or solicitations of offers to purchase, the securities offered by this prospectus are unlawful, or if you are a person to whom it is unlawful to direct these types of activities, then the offer presented in this prospectus does not extend to you. The information contained in this prospectus speaks only as of the date of this prospectus unless the information specifically indicates that another date applies. Therefore, you should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or applicable supplement is accurate on any date subsequent to the date set forth on the front of the document or that any information we have incorporated by reference is correct on any date subsequent to the date of the document incorporated by reference, even though this prospectus and any applicable supplement is delivered or securities are sold on a later date.

We may sell securities to underwriters who will sell the securities to the public on terms fixed at the time of sale. In addition, the securities may be sold by us directly or through dealers or agents designated from time to time, some of which may be our affiliates. If we, directly or through dealers or agents, solicit offers to purchase the securities, we reserve the sole right to accept and, together with the applicable dealers or agents, to reject, in whole or in part, any of those offers. An applicable supplement will contain the names of the underwriters, dealers or agents, if any, together with the terms of the offering, the compensation of those persons and the net proceeds to us. Any underwriters, dealers or agents participating in the offering may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). In addition, one or more of our subsidiaries, including BMO Capital Markets Corp., may buy and sell any of the securities after the securities are issued as part of their business as a broker-dealer. Those subsidiaries may use this prospectus and the applicable supplements in those transactions. Any sale by a subsidiary will be made at the prevailing market price at the time of sale. Unless otherwise mentioned or unless the context requires otherwise, all references in this prospectus to the “Bank”, “we”, “us”, “our” or similar references mean Bank of Montreal and its consolidated subsidiaries.

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PRESENTATION OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION

We prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (the “IASB”).

Additionally, we publish our consolidated financial statements in Canadian dollars. In this prospectus and any applicable supplement, currency amounts are stated in Canadian dollars (“$”), unless specified otherwise. As indicated in the table below, the Canadian dollar has fluctuated in value compared to the U.S. dollar over time.

The tables below set forth the high and low daily noon exchange rates, the average yearly rate and the rate at period end between Canadian dollars and U.S. dollars (in U.S. dollars per Canadian dollar) for the five-year period ended October 31, 2016 and the high and low daily noon exchange rates for the three months ended January 31, 2017, and for each month in the period from December 1, 2016 through April 26, 2017. On April 26, 2017, the noon exchange rate was US$0.7357 = $1.00. Our reference to the “noon exchange rate” is the noon exchange rate as reported by the Bank of Canada.

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CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Our public communications often include written or oral forward-looking statements. Statements of this type are included in this document, and may be included in other filings with Canadian securities regulators or the SEC, or in other communications. All such statements are made pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of, and are intended to be forward-looking statements under, the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and any applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements may involve, but are not limited to, comments with respect to our objectives and priorities for 2017 and beyond, our strategies or future actions, our targets, expectations for our financial condition or share price, and the results of or outlook for our operations or for the Canadian, U.S. and international economies.

By their nature, forward-looking statements require us to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. There is significant risk that predictions, forecasts, conclusions or projections will not prove to be accurate, that our assumptions may not be correct, and that actual results may differ materially from such predictions, forecasts, conclusions or projections. We caution readers of this document not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements, as a number of factors could cause actual future results, conditions, actions or events to differ materially from the targets, expectations, estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking statements.

The future outcomes that relate to forward-looking statements may be influenced by many factors, including but not limited to: general economic and market conditions in the countries in which we operate; weak, volatile or illiquid capital and/or credit markets; interest rate and currency value fluctuations; changes in monetary, fiscal, tax or economic policy; the level of competition in the geographic and business areas in which we operate; changes in laws or in supervisory expectations or requirements, including capital, interest rate and liquidity requirements and guidance and the effect of such changes on funding costs; judicial or regulatory proceedings; the accuracy and completeness of the information we obtain with respect to our customers and counterparties; our ability to execute our strategic plans and to complete and integrate acquisitions, including obtaining regulatory approvals; critical accounting estimates and the effect of changes to accounting standards, rules and interpretations on these estimates; operational and infrastructure risks; changes to our credit ratings; political conditions, including changes relating to or affecting economic or trade matters; global capital markets activities; the possible effects on our business of war or terrorist activities; outbreaks of disease or illness that affect local, national or international economies; natural disasters and disruptions to public infrastructure, such as transportation, communications, power or water supply; technological changes; information and cyber security; and our ability to anticipate and effectively manage risks arising from all of the foregoing factors.

We caution that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all possible factors. Other factors and risks could adversely affect our results. For more information, please see the discussion in our Annual Report on Form 40-F, which is incorporated by reference herein, and which outlines certain key factors and risks that may affect our future results. When relying on forward-looking statements to make decisions with respect to the Bank, investors and others should carefully consider these factors and risks, as well as other uncertainties and potential events, and the inherent uncertainty of forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made, from time to time, by the organization or on its behalf, except as required by law.

The forward-looking information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus is presented for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding our operations, prospects, risks and other extreme factors that impact us specifically as of and for the periods ended on the dates presented, as well as certain strategic priorities and objectives, and may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Assumptions about the performance of the Canadian and U.S. economies, as well as overall market conditions and their combined effect on our business, are material factors we consider when determining our

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strategic priorities, objectives and expectations for our business. In determining our expectations for economic growth, both broadly and in the financial services sector, we primarily consider historical economic data provided by the Canadian and U.S. governments and their agencies. See our most recent Annual Report on Form 40-F for more information relating to material factors impacting our business.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

In addition to our continuous disclosure obligations under the securities laws of the Provinces and Territories of Canada, we are subject to the information reporting requirements of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and in accordance therewith file or furnish reports and other information with the SEC. Under the multijurisdictional disclosure system adopted by the United States, such reports and other information may be prepared in accordance with the disclosure requirements of Canada, which requirements are different from those of the United States. These reports and other information, when filed or furnished by us in accordance with such requirements, can be inspected and copied by you at the SEC’s Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can get further information about the SEC’s Public Reference Room by calling 1-800-SEC-0330. Our filings with the SEC are also available to the public through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Our common shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and reports and other information concerning us can be inspected at the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 11 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005. Information about us can be located at our website at www.bmo.com. All Internet references in this prospectus are inactive textual references and we do not incorporate website contents into this prospectus.

We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form F-3 relating to the securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of the Registration Statement and does not contain all the information in the Registration Statement. Whenever a reference is made in this prospectus to a contract or other document of the Bank, the reference is only a summary and you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the Registration Statement for a copy of the contract or other document. You may review a copy of the Registration Statement at the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C., as well as through the SEC’s website.

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INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information in documents we file with it. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference by making future filings with the SEC the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. The modifying or superseding statement need not state that it has modified or superseded a prior statement or include any other information set forth in the document that it modifies or supersedes. In other words, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later. The making of a modifying or superseding statement shall not be deemed an admission for any purposes that the modified or superseded statement, when made, constituted a misrepresentation, an untrue statement of a material fact or an omission to state a material fact that is required to be stated or that is necessary to make a statement not misleading in light of the circumstances in which it was made. Any statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded to constitute a part of this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and all documents which we subsequently file with the SEC (other than, in each case, documents or information deemed to have been furnished and not filed in accordance with the SEC rules) pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act until the termination of the offering of the securities under this prospectus:

We may also incorporate any other Form 6-K that we submit to the SEC on or after the date of the initial Registration Statement and prior to effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or thereafter until the termination of this offering, if the Form 6-K filing specifically states that it is incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement of which this prospectus forms a part.

You may request a copy of these filings, other than an exhibit to a filing unless that exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference into that filing, at no cost, by writing to or telephoning us at the following address:

Bank of Montreal

Corporate Secretary’s Department

100 King Street West

1 First Canadian Place

Toronto, Ontario

Canada M5X 1A1

(416) 867-6785

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RISK FACTORS

Investment in these securities is subject to various risks, including those risks inherent in conducting the business of a diversified financial institution. Before deciding whether to invest in any securities, you should consider carefully the risks described in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus (including subsequently filed documents incorporated by reference) and, if applicable, those described in the applicable supplements relating to a specific offering of securities. You should consider the categories of risks identified and discussed in the management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations included in our Annual Report on Form 40-F for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2016, including those summarized under “Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” above.

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BANK OF MONTREAL

Bank of Montreal (“Bank of Montreal”, “BMO” or the “Bank”) started business in Montreal in 1817 and was incorporated in 1821 by an Act of Lower Canada as the first Canadian chartered bank. Since 1871, the Bank has been a chartered bank under the Bank Act (Canada) (the “Bank Act”), and is named in Schedule I of the Bank Act. The Bank Act is the charter of the Bank and governs its operations. The Bank is a registered bank holding company and is a financial holding company under the United States Bank Holding Company Act of 1956.

The Bank’s head office is located at 129 rue Saint Jacques, Montreal, Quebec, H2Y 1L6. Its executive offices are located at 100 King Street West, 1 First Canadian Place, Toronto, Ontario, M5X 1A1.

Bank of Montreal offers a broad range of products and services directly and through Canadian and non-Canadian subsidiaries, offices, and branches. As at October 31, 2016, BMO had more than 12 million customers and more than 45,000 full-time equivalent employees. The Bank has over 1,500 bank branches in Canada and the United States and operates internationally in major financial markets and trading areas through its offices in 27 other jurisdictions, including the United States. BMO Financial Corp. (“BFC”) (formerly Harris Financial Corp.), is based in Chicago and wholly-owned by Bank of Montreal. BFC operates primarily through its subsidiary BMO Harris Bank N.A., which provides banking, financing, investing, and cash management services in select markets in the U.S. Midwest. BMO provides a full range of investment dealer services through entities, including BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., a major fully integrated Canadian investment dealer, and BMO Capital Markets Corp., Bank of Montreal’s wholly-owned registered securities dealer in the United States.

Bank of Montreal conducts business through three operating groups:

Corporate Services consists of Corporate Support Areas and Technology and Operations (“T&O”). The Bank’s Corporate Support Areas provide enterprise-wide expertise and governance support in a variety of areas, including strategic planning, risk management, finance, legal and regulatory compliance, marketing, communications, and human resources. T&O manages, maintains, and provides governance over information technology, operations services, real estate, and sourcing for the Bank.

Certain Matters Relating to the Bank’s Board of Directors

Under the Bank Act, the Bank’s board of directors must have at least seven members and the Bank’s board of directors may establish by by-law a minimum and maximum number of directors. The Bank Act also requires

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that no more than two-thirds of the directors may be affiliated with the Bank, as specified by the Bank Act, and no more than 15% of the directors may be employees of the Bank or a subsidiary of the Bank, except that up to four of these employees may be directors if they constitute not more than 50% of the directors. Subject to the following residency requirements, a majority of directors shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the board of directors. Under the Bank Act, a majority of the directors of the Bank must be resident Canadians and, except in limited circumstances, directors may not transact business at a meeting of directors or a committee of directors at which a majority of the directors present are not resident Canadians. The Bank Act also requires the directors of a bank to appoint from their members a chief executive officer who must ordinarily be resident in Canada. Under the Bank’s by-laws, the minimum number of directors is seven and the maximum number of directors is 40. The Bank’s by-laws provide that the number of directors to be elected at any annual meeting of shareholders of the Bank will be fixed by the board of directors before the meeting. Directors are elected to terms of one year, on an annual basis. The Bank currently has 13 directors.

Under the Bank Act, any director or the entire board of directors may be removed, with or without cause, with the approval of a majority of the votes cast at a special meeting of shareholders. A vacancy created by such removal may be filled at the meeting or by a quorum of the directors. Bank policies stipulate that directors who joined the board prior to January 1, 2010 may serve until the earlier of when they turn 70 or they have served 20 years. Directors who joined the Board on or after January 1, 2010 may serve until the earlier of when they turn 70 or they have served 15 years. However, provided that they are elected, all directors will be allowed to serve for at least ten years, regardless of their age. In addition, the Chairman may serve a full five year term as Chairman, regardless of his or her age or how long he or she has been on the Board, and his or her term may be renewed for up to three more years. The Board has also approved term limits for the chairs of its committees — for committee chairs appointed after December 31, 2014, the normal term will be five years with a possibility of renewal for up to three more years. In exceptional circumstances, to further the best interests of the Bank, the Board may on an annual basis decide in individual cases to waive the term and/or age limits stated above for directors, the Chairman and committee chairs. An officer will resign from the Board when no longer employed by the Bank. However, the Board may request a former CEO to continue as a director for a term not longer than two years.

Conflicts of Interest

The Bank Act contains detailed provisions with regard to a director’s power to vote on a material proposal, arrangement or contract in which the director is interested. These provisions include procedures for: disclosure of the conflict of interest and the timing for such disclosure; the presence of directors at board meetings where the proposal, arrangement or contract giving rise to the conflict of interest is being considered, and voting with respect to the proposal, arrangement or contract giving rise to the conflict of interest; and other provisions for dealing with such conflicts of interest. The Bank Act also contains detailed provisions regarding transactions with persons who are related parties of the Bank, including directors of the Bank. See “— Borrowing Powers”.

Compensation

The by-laws of the Bank have provisions with regard to the general remuneration of directors. The board of directors may, from time to time, by resolution determine their remuneration that may be paid, but such remuneration may not exceed in each year an aggregate cap set out in the by-laws, and individually may be in such amounts as the board may determine by resolution. In addition, the directors may be paid their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in attending meetings of the board, shareholders or committees of the board or otherwise in the performance of their duties.

Directors are required to hold at least eight times the cash retainer portion of their annual retainer fee in either common shares or deferred share units (“Deferred Share Units”) under the Bank’s Deferred Share Unit Plan for Non-employee Directors and until this level is obtained, directors must take 100% of their annual retainer in the form of either common shares (which are purchased on the open market) or Deferred Share Units.

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Once this threshold has been reached, directors receive a minimum of $140,000 of their $215,000 annual retainer fee in common shares (which are purchased on the open market) or in Deferred Share Units, but also have the option to receive up to 100% of their annual retainer in this manner. A Deferred Share Unit is an amount owed by the Bank to directors having the same value as one common share, but is not paid out (in cash or in common shares purchased on the open market) until such time as the director leaves the board, thereby providing an ongoing equity stake in the Bank throughout the director’s period of board service. Only non-employee directors can receive Deferred Share Units.

Borrowing Powers

The directors of the Bank may, without authorization of the shareholders, authorize the Bank to borrow money. The Bank Act, however, prohibits the Bank from entering into transactions with persons who are deemed to be related parties of the Bank, subject to certain exceptions. Related party transactions may include loans made on the credit of the Bank. In addition, the by-laws of the Bank may be amended, as described in “Description of Common Shares and Preferred Shares — Amendments to the Rights, Privileges, Restrictions and Conditions of the Bank’s Share Capital”, to vary the borrowing authority of directors in this regard.

Additional Regulatory Capital Restrictions

“Bail-in” Regime

In August 2014, Canada’s Department of Finance issued a consultation paper on a Canadian bank resolution framework, including the Canadian bail-in regime and Higher Loss Absorbency requirements that would apply to Canadian domestic systemically important banks that are designated by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada (“OSFI”), including the Bank. On June 22, 2016, the Government of Canada passed legislation to implement a bail-in regime, in accordance with regulations to the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act that have not yet been prescribed (the “CDIC Act Regulations”). While such legislation does not indicate which instruments will be subject to the bail-in regime, as such details will be set forth in the CDIC Act Regulations, the 2014 consultation paper indicated that instruments subject to the bail-in conversion regime would include newly issued unsecured, tradable, transferable senior debt with an original term to maturity of greater than or equal to 400 days (“Bail-In Debt”), and that all Bail-In Debt would be convertible into common shares. The timing planned for implementation of the regime has not yet been determined, although debt securities issued before the date the CDIC Act Regulations come into force are not expected to be subject to the bail-in regime. Where any debt securities issued under this prospectus are subject to the bail-in regime, the applicable prospectus supplement or pricing supplement will provide details of that regime.

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CONSOLIDATED CAPITALIZATION OF THE BANK

The following table sets forth the consolidated capitalization of the Bank at January 31, 2017.

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CONSOLIDATED EARNINGS RATIOS

The following table provides the Bank’s consolidated ratios of earnings to fixed charges and ratios of earnings to combined fixed charges and preferred share dividends for the three month period ended January 31, 2017 and each of the years in the five year period ended October 31, 2016.

For purposes of computing these ratios:

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COMPARATIVE PER SHARE MARKET PRICE

The Bank’s common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (the “TSX”) and the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the trading symbol “BMO”.

The table below sets forth, for the periods indicated, the per share high and low closing sales prices for the Bank’s common shares as reported on the NYSE and the TSX. TSX closing prices of the Bank’s common shares are presented in Canadian dollars, and the NYSE closing prices of the Bank’s common shares are presented in U.S. dollars.

Fluctuations in the exchange rate between the Canadian dollar and the U.S. dollar will affect any comparisons of the Bank’s common shares traded on the TSX and the Bank’s common shares traded on the NYSE.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

Unless otherwise specified in an applicable supplement, the net proceeds to the Bank from the sale of the securities will be added to the Bank’s general working capital and will be used for general working capital purposes.

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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON SHARES AND PREFERRED SHARES

Set forth below is a summary of the material terms of the Bank’s share capital and certain provisions of the Bank Act and the Bank’s amended and restated by-laws as they relate to the Bank’s share capital. The following summary is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by the Bank Act, the Bank’s amended and restated by-laws and the actual terms and conditions of such shares.

Capital Stock

The authorized capital of the Bank consists of an unlimited number of common shares, without nominal or par value, an unlimited number of Class A Preferred Shares, without nominal or par value, issuable in series, and an unlimited number of Class B Preferred Shares, without nominal or par value, issuable in series, in each case the aggregate consideration for which is also unlimited.

As of January 31, 2017, there were issued and outstanding the following shares of capital stock: 648,920,244 common shares; 10,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 14; 10,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 15; 6,267,391 Class B Preferred Shares Series 16; 5,732,609 Class B Preferred Shares Series 17; 9,425,607 Class B Preferred Shares Series 25; 2,174,393 Class B Preferred Shares Series 26; 20,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 27; 16,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 29; 12,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 31; 8,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 33; 6,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 35; 600,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 36; and 24,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 38.

Common Shares

Voting. Holders of common shares are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted on by holders of common shares. Unless otherwise required by the Bank Act, any matter to be voted on by holders of common shares shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast on the matter.

Size of Board of Directors. The Bank Act requires that the number of directors on the Bank’s board of directors be at least seven. All directors of the Bank are elected annually. The Bank Act also requires that at least a majority of the directors must be, at the time of each director’s election or appointment, resident Canadians.

Liquidation Rights. Upon the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Bank, whether voluntary or involuntary, the holders of common shares are entitled to receive the remaining property of the Bank available after the payment of all debts and other liabilities and subject to the prior rights of holders of any outstanding preferred shares.

Preemptive, Subscription, Redemption and Conversion Rights. Holders of common shares, as such, have no preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights.

Dividends. The holders of common shares are entitled to receive dividends as and when declared by the board of directors of the Bank, subject to the preference of the holders of the preferred shares of the Bank. The Bank’s dividends have historically been declared on a quarterly basis in Canadian dollars. As a matter of practice, the Bank pays dividends to U.S. holders of common shares, if and when a dividend is declared, in U.S. dollars, in an amount fixed at the date of record for the payment of the dividend. The declaration and payment of dividends and the amount of the dividends is subject to the discretion of the board of directors, and will be dependent upon the results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements and future regulatory restrictions on the payment of dividends by, the Bank and other factors deemed relevant by the board of directors.

Preferred Shares

This section describes the general terms and provisions of our preferred shares and provides a description of the rights and privileges of each of our outstanding series of preferred shares. The applicable prospectus

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supplement will describe the specific terms of the preferred shares offered through that prospectus supplement, as well as any general terms described in this section that will not apply to those preferred shares.

General. The Bank has two classes of authorized preferred shares, Class A Preferred Shares and Class B Preferred Shares, each of which is without nominal or par value and issuable in series. The Class B Preferred Shares rank on parity with the Class A Preferred Shares. There were no Class A Preferred Shares outstanding as of January 31, 2017. 130,200,000 shares of Class B Preferred Shares were outstanding as of January 31, 2017, namely, 10,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 14; 10,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 15; 6,267,391 Class B Preferred Shares Series 16; 5,732,609 Class B Preferred Shares Series 17; 9,425,607 Class B Preferred Shares Series 25; 2,174,393 Class B Preferred Shares Series 26; 20,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 27; 16,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 29; 12,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 31; 8,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 33; 6,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 35; 600,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 36; and 24,000,000 Class B Preferred Shares Series 38.

The board of directors is authorized, subject to the provisions of the Bank Act, without shareholder approval, to divide the unissued preferred shares into series and to fix the number of shares in each series and the rights, privileges, restrictions and conditions of such series, and to change the rights, privileges, restrictions or conditions attached to the unissued shares of any series, provided that no rights, privileges, restrictions or conditions attached to a series confer on a series a priority in respect of dividends or return of capital over any series of preferred shares of the same class then outstanding.

Priority. The preferred shares shall be entitled to preference over common shares and to any other shares of ranking junior to the preferred shares with respect to the payment of dividends and return of capital. Each series of preferred shares of a class ranks on a parity with every other series of preferred shares in the same class with respect to the payment of dividends and return of capital.

Restriction. Under the terms of the Bank Act, the approval of the holders of the preferred shares is required for the creation of any class of shares ranking prior to or on a parity with the preferred shares.

Voting. Except as required under the Bank Act or in the rights, privileges, restrictions or conditions attached to any series before the issue thereof, the holders of preferred shares are not entitled to receive notice, to attend or to vote at any meeting of the shareholders of the Bank.

Retirement of Preferred Shares. Subject to the prior approval of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (Canada) (“OSFI”) and to the provisions governing restrictions on dividends and retirement of shares, the Bank may at any time purchase any outstanding series of preferred shares for cancellation, provided that no such shares may be redeemed or purchased for cancellation at prices exceeding the redemption price stated in or calculated according to a formula stated in the terms of issue thereto.

Rights and privileges of each outstanding series:

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Limitations Affecting Holders of Common and Preferred Shares

Restraints on Bank Shares Under the Bank Act

The Bank Act contains restrictions on the issue, transfer, acquisition, beneficial ownership and voting of all shares of a Canadian chartered bank. For example, no person may be a “major shareholder” of a bank if the bank has equity of $12 billion or more (which would include the Bank). A person is a major shareholder of a bank where: (i) the aggregate number of shares of any class of voting shares owned by that person, by entities controlled by that person and by any person associated or acting jointly or in concert with that person is more than 20% of that class of voting shares; or (ii) the aggregate number of shares of any class of non-voting shares beneficially owned by that person, by entities controlled by that person and by any person associated or acting jointly or in concert with that person is more than 30% of that class of non-voting shares. The Minister of Finance (Canada) may only approve the acquisition of up to 30% of the shares of any class of non-voting shares and up to 20% of the shares of a class of voting shares of the Bank, provided, in each case, that the person acquiring those shares does not have direct or indirect influence over the Bank that, if exercised, would result in that person having control in fact of the Bank. No person may have a “significant interest” in any class of shares of a bank, including the Bank, unless the person first receives the approval of the Minister of Finance. In addition, the Bank is not permitted to record any transfer or issue of any shares of the Bank if the transfer or issue would cause the person to have a significant interest in a class of shares, unless the prior approval of the Minister of Finance is obtained. No person who has a significant interest in the Bank may exercise any voting rights attached to the shares held by that person, unless the prior approval of the Minister of Finance for the acquisition of the significant interest is obtained. For purposes of the Bank Act, a person has a significant interest in a class of shares of a bank where the aggregate of any shares of the class beneficially owned by that person, by entities controlled by that person and by any person associated or acting jointly or in concert with that person exceeds 10% of all of the outstanding shares of that class of shares of such bank. If a person contravenes any of these restrictions, the Minister of Finance may, by order, direct that person to dispose of all or any portion of those shares. Holders of securities of the Bank may be required to furnish declarations relating to ownership in a form prescribed by the Bank.

Furthermore, the Bank Act prohibits banks, including the Bank, from recording a transfer or issuing shares of any class to the Government of Canada, or of any province thereof, to any foreign government or the government of any state, province or other political subdivision of a foreign country or to any agent or agency of any of the foregoing, except in certain circumstances that requires the consent of the Minister of Finance.

Bank Act and Government Restrictions and Approvals

Under the Bank Act, the Bank cannot redeem or purchase any of its shares, including its common shares, unless the consent of the OSFI has been obtained. In addition, the Bank Act prohibits a payment to purchase or redeem any shares or the declaration and payment of a dividend if there are reasonable grounds for believing that the Bank is, or the payment would cause the Bank to be, in contravention of the capital adequacy and liquidity regulations of the Bank Act or any capital or liquidity directions of OSFI. The Bank is prohibited from declaring dividends on its preferred or common shares when it would be, as a result of paying such a dividend, in contravention of the capital adequacy, liquidity or other regulatory directives issued under the Bank Act. In addition, common share dividends cannot be paid unless all dividends declared and payable on the Bank’s preferred shares have been paid or sufficient funds have been set aside to do so. The declaration, amount and payment of future dividends is subject to the discretion of the board of directors, and will be dependent upon the Bank’s results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements and future regulatory restrictions on the payment of dividends and other factors deemed relevant by the board of directors.

The government of Canada placed a moratorium on mergers among Canada’s largest financial institutions in 2003, including the Bank and its peers, pending a further review of Canada’s bank merger policy. It is unlikely that the Minister of Finance would grant an approval for a merger between any large Canadian financial institutions at this time.

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The restrictions contained in the Bank Act and the Canadian government’s policies may deter, delay or prevent a future amalgamation involving the Bank and will prevent the acquisition of control of the Bank, including transactions that could be perceived as advantageous to the Bank’s shareholders.

Additional Restrictions on Declaration of Dividends

In addition to the restrictions on dividends described above, the Bank has agreed that if BMO Capital Trust II, an unconsolidated structured entity (the “Trust”), fails to pay any required distribution on its capital trust securities, the Bank will not declare dividends of any kind on any of its preferred or common shares for a period of time following the Trust’s failure to pay the required distribution unless the Trust first pays such distribution to the holders of its capital trust securities. For further information regarding the Capitalization of the Bank, see “Consolidated Capitalization of the Bank”.

Non-Viability Capital Contingency Provisions

Under capital adequacy requirements adopted by the OSFI, in order to qualify as regulatory capital, preferred shares issued after January 1, 2013 must include terms providing for the full and permanent conversion of those preferred shares into common shares upon the occurrence of certain trigger events relating to financial viability (“Non-Viability Capital Contingency Provisions”). The specific terms of any Non-Viability Capital Contingency Provisions for any preferred shares that the Bank issues under this prospectus will be described in one or more supplements relating to those preferred shares.

Amendments to the Rights, Privileges, Restrictions and Conditions of the Bank’s Share Capital

Under the Bank Act, the rights of holders of the Bank’s shares can be changed by the board of directors of the Bank by making, amending or repealing the by-laws of the Bank. The board of directors of the Bank must submit such a by-law, or amendment to or repeal of a by-law, to the shareholders of the Bank in accordance with the procedures of the Bank Act and the Bank’s by-laws, and the shareholders must approve the by-law, amendment to or repeal of the by-law by special resolution to be effective. Under the Bank Act, a special resolution is a resolution passed by not less than two-thirds of the votes cast by or on behalf of the shareholders who voted in respect of that resolution or signed by all the shareholders entitled to vote on that resolution. In some circumstances, the Bank Act mandates that holders of shares of a class or a series are entitled to vote separately as a class or series on a proposal to amend the by-laws of the Bank.

Meetings of the Shareholders

Quorum

The Bank Act permits a bank to establish by by-law the quorum requirement for meetings of shareholders. The Bank’s by-laws provide that a quorum at any meeting of shareholders will be any two or more shareholders entitled to vote at the meeting present in person or represented by proxy and representing either in person or by proxy at least 25% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Bank entitled to vote.

Annual Meetings; Shareholder Proposals

The Bank is required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders not later than six months after the end of each financial year on such day and at such time as its directors shall determine.

Proposals by shareholders of a bank may be made by certain registered or beneficial holders of shares that are entitled to vote at an annual meeting of shareholders. To be eligible to submit any shareholder proposal, a shareholder must satisfy certain eligibility criteria set forth in the Bank Act. Under the Bank Act, shareholder proposals may only be submitted at annual meetings of shareholders. A shareholder eligible to submit a proposal

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and entitled to vote at an annual meeting of shareholders may submit to the Bank notice of any matter that the shareholder proposes to raise at the meeting provided that, among other things, the proposal is submitted to the Bank at least 90 days before the anniversary date of the notice of meeting that was sent to shareholders in respect of the Bank’s previous annual meeting of shareholders.

If the Bank solicits proxies for such annual meeting, it is required to set out in the management proxy a proposal submitted by a shareholder for consideration at such meeting. If so requested by a shareholder who submits a proposal to the Bank, the Bank is required to include in the management proxy circular, or attach thereto, a statement by the shareholder in support of the proposal and the name and address of the shareholder. The proposal and the statement together are not to exceed the prescribed maximum number of words. Under the Bank Act, a proposal may include nominations for the election of directors if it is signed by one or more shareholders of shares representing in the aggregate not less than 5% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Bank or 5% of the issued and outstanding shares of a class of shares of the Bank entitled to vote at the meeting at which the proposal is to be presented.

The Bank is not required to comply with the obligations to include the proposal, or a statement of the shareholder submitting a proposal, in its management proxy circular, if

If the Bank refuses to include a proposal in a management proxy circular, it is obligated to notify the shareholder in writing of such refusal and its reasons for such refusal. The shareholder may apply to a court if such shareholder claims it has been aggrieved by such refusal, and the court may restrain the holding of the meeting at which the proposal is sought to be presented and may make such further order it thinks fit. In addition, if the Bank claims to be aggrieved by the proposal, it may apply to a court for an order permitting the Bank to omit the proposal from the management proxy circular.

Special Meetings

Under the Bank Act, special meetings of shareholders may be called at any time by the board of directors. In addition, subject to certain provisions of the Bank Act, the holders of not less than 5% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Bank that carry the right to vote at a meeting may request that the directors call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose stated in the request and may call the special meeting if the directors do not do so within 21 days after receiving the request.

Anti-Takeover Provisions and Ownership Provisions

Rules and policies of certain Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including Multilateral Instrument 61-101 — Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions, contain requirements in connection

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with “related party transactions”. A related party transaction means, among other things, any transaction in which an issuer directly or indirectly engages in the following with a related party: acquires, sells, leases or transfers an asset, acquires the related party, acquires or issues securities, amends the terms of a security if the security is owned by the related party or assumes or becomes subject to a liability or takes certain other actions with respect to debt.

“Related party” includes directors, senior officers and holders of more than 10% of the voting rights attached to all outstanding voting securities of the issuer or holders of a sufficient number of any securities of the issuer to materially affect control of the issuer.

If a transaction is determined to be a related party transaction, Multilateral Instrument 61-101 requires, subject to certain exceptions, the preparation of a formal valuation relating to certain aspects of the transaction and more detailed disclosure in the proxy material sent to security holders in connection with the related party transaction, including disclosure related to the valuation.

Multilateral Instrument 61-101 also requires, subject to certain exceptions, that an issuer not engage in a related party transaction unless the shareholders of the issuer, other than the related parties, approve the transaction by a simple majority of the votes cast.

In addition, under the Bank Act, a sale of all or substantially all of the Bank’s assets to another financial institution or an amalgamation must also be approved by the shareholders by special resolution passed by a vote of not less than two-thirds of the votes cast by shareholders who voted in respect of the resolution, with each share carrying the right to vote whether or not it otherwise carries the right to vote. The holders of each class or series of shares which is affected differently by the sale from the shares of any other class or series are entitled to vote separately as a class or series. The Minister of Finance must also approve any such sale or amalgamation involving the Bank.

These restrictions, in addition to those imposed by the Bank Act relating to the purchase or other acquisition, issue, transfer and voting of shares of the Bank’s common shares may deter, delay or prevent a future amalgamation involving the Bank and will prevent the acquisition of control of the Bank, including transactions that could be perceived as advantageous to the Bank’s shareholders. See “Description of Common Shares and Preferred Shares — Limitations Affecting Holders of Common and Preferred Shares”.

Rights of Inspection

Any person is entitled to a basic list of the Bank’s shareholders and may request the Bank to furnish such list within 10 days after receipt by the Bank of an affidavit, swearing that the list will not be used except in accordance with a permitted purpose, and payment of a reasonable fee. Further, shareholders and creditors of the Bank and their personal representatives may examine certain limited records of the Bank during its usual business hours and may take extracts therefrom, free of charge, or have copies made thereof on payment of a reasonable fee.

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The registrar and transfer agent for the Bank’s common and preferred shares is Computershare Trust Company of Canada with transfer facilities in the cities of Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver. In addition, Computershare Investor Services PLC and Computershare Trust Company, N.A. serve as transfer agents and registrars for common shares in Bristol, United Kingdom and Canton, Maine, respectively.

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

References to the “Bank”, “us”, “we” or “our” in this section mean Bank of Montreal, and do not include the subsidiaries of Bank of Montreal. Also, in this section, references to “holders” mean those who own debt securities registered in their own names, on the books that we or the applicable trustee maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in debt securities registered in street name or in debt securities issued in book-entry form through one or more depositaries. When we refer to “you” in this section, we mean all purchasers of the debt securities being offered by this prospectus, whether they are the holders or only indirect owners of those debt securities. Owners of beneficial interests in the debt securities should read the section below entitled “— Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance”.

Debt Securities May Be Senior or Subordinated

We may issue debt securities which may be senior or subordinated in right of payment. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, neither the senior debt securities nor the subordinated debt securities will be secured by any of our property or assets or the property or assets of our subsidiaries. Thus, by owning a debt security, you are one of our unsecured creditors.

The senior debt securities will be issued under our senior debt indenture described below and will be unsubordinated obligations that rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated debt, including deposit liabilities, other than certain governmental claims in accordance with applicable law.

The subordinated debt securities will be issued under our subordinated debt indenture described below and, if a trigger event has not occurred as contemplated under the specific Non-Viability Capital Contingency Provisions (as defined below) as may be applicable to such subordinated debt securities, will be subordinate in right of payment to all of our “senior indebtedness”, as defined in the subordinated debt indenture. Neither indenture limits our ability to incur additional indebtedness.

In the event we become insolvent, our governing legislation provides that priorities among payments of our deposit liabilities (including payments in respect of the senior debt securities) and payments of all of our other liabilities (including payments in respect of the subordinated debt securities) are to be determined in accordance with the laws governing priorities and, where applicable, by the terms of the indebtedness and liabilities. Because we have subsidiaries, our right to participate in any distribution of the assets of our banking or non-banking subsidiaries, upon a subsidiary’s dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization or otherwise, and thus your ability to benefit indirectly from such distribution, is subject to the prior claims of creditors of that subsidiary, except to the extent that we may be a creditor of that subsidiary and our claims are recognized. There are legal limitations on the extent to which some of our subsidiaries may extend credit, pay dividends or otherwise supply funds to, or engage in transactions with, us or some of our other subsidiaries. Accordingly, the debt securities will be structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of our subsidiaries, and holders of debt securities should look only to our assets for payments on the debt securities.

In addition, the senior debt securities that are Bail-in Debt may be subject to the bail-in regime. See “Bank of Montreal — Additional Regulatory Capital Restrictions —“Bail-in” Regime”.

Neither the senior debt securities nor the subordinated debt securities will constitute deposits insured under the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation Act or by the United States Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other Canadian or United States governmental agency or instrumentality.

When we refer to “debt securities” in this prospectus, we mean both the senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities.

The Senior and Subordinated Debt Indentures

The senior debt securities and the subordinated debt securities are each governed by an indenture — the senior debt indenture, in the case of the senior debt securities, and the subordinated debt indenture, in the case of

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the subordinated debt securities. When we refer to the “indentures”, we mean both the senior debt indenture and the subordinated debt indenture, and when we refer to the “indenture”, we mean either the senior debt indenture or the subordinated debt indenture, as applicable. Each indenture is a contract between us and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, which acts as trustee. The indentures are substantially identical, except for the provisions relating to:

Reference to the indenture or the trustee, with respect to any debt securities, means the indenture under which those debt securities are issued and the trustee under that indenture.

The trustee has two main roles:

The indentures and their associated documents contain the full legal text of the matters described in this section. The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by New York law, except that the subordination provisions in the subordinated debt indenture and certain provisions relating to the status of the senior debt securities under Canadian law in the senior debt indenture will be governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein. A copy of the senior debt indenture and a form of the subordinated debt indenture are exhibits to the Registration Statement of which this prospectus forms a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information” above for information on how to obtain a copy.

Issuing Branch

Debt securities may, if specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, be issued by our Chicago branch. If our Chicago branch issues debt securities, the applicable prospectus supplement will also describe: (1) the terms of debt securities issued by our Chicago branch, including terms relating to events of default in respect of those debt securities, (2) whether those debt securities will be issued under a supplemental indenture to either the senior debt indenture or the subordinated debt indenture, as applicable, or under a new indenture, and (3) any material U.S. or Canadian tax, regulatory or insolvency considerations applicable to those debt securities.

General

We may issue as many distinct series of debt securities under either indenture as we wish. The provisions of the senior debt indenture and the subordinated debt indenture allow us not only to issue debt securities with terms different from those previously issued under the applicable indenture, but also to “re-open” a previous issue of a series of debt securities and issue additional debt securities of that series. We may issue debt securities in amounts that exceed the total amount specified on the cover of your applicable supplement at any time without your consent and without notifying you. In addition, we may issue additional debt securities of any series at any time without your consent and without notifying you. We may also issue other debt securities at any time without your consent and without notifying you. The indentures do not limit our ability to incur other indebtedness or to issue other debt securities, and we are not subject to financial or similar restrictions under the indentures.

This section summarizes the material terms of the debt securities that are common to all series, subject to any modifications contained in an applicable supplement. Most of the specific terms of your series will be

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described in the applicable supplements accompanying this prospectus. As you read this section, please remember that the specific terms of your debt security as described in the applicable supplements will supplement and, if applicable, may modify or replace the general terms described in this section. If there are any differences between the information in the applicable supplements and this prospectus, the information in the most recent applicable supplement will control. Accordingly, the statements we make in this section may not apply to your debt securities. Because this section is a summary, it does not describe every aspect of the debt securities. This summary is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to all the provisions of the indentures and the applicable series of debt securities, including definitions of certain terms used in the indentures and the applicable series of debt securities. In this summary, we describe the meaning of only some of the more important terms. You must look to the indentures or the applicable series of debt securities for the most complete description of what we describe in summary form in this prospectus.

We may issue the debt securities as original issue discount debt securities, which will be offered and sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount. An applicable supplement relating to the original issue discount securities will describe U.S. federal income tax consequences and other special considerations applicable to them. The debt securities may also be issued as indexed debt securities or debt securities denominated in foreign currencies or currency units, as described in more detail in an applicable supplement relating to any of the particular debt securities. An applicable supplement relating to specific debt securities will also describe any special considerations and any material additional tax considerations applicable to such debt securities.

When we refer to a series of debt securities, we mean a series issued under the indenture pursuant to which the debt securities will be issued. Each series is a single distinct series under the indenture pursuant to which they will be issued and we may issue debt securities of each series in such amounts, at such times and on such terms as we wish. The debt securities of each series will differ from one another, and from any other series, in their terms, but all debt securities of a series together will constitute a single series for all purposes under the indenture pursuant to which they will be issued.

We may issue debt securities up to an aggregate principal amount as we may authorize from time to time. The applicable supplements will describe the terms of any debt securities being offered, including:

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An investment in debt securities may involve special risks, including risks associated with indexed securities and currency-related risks if the debt security is linked to an index or is payable in or otherwise linked to a non-U.S. dollar currency. Risks specific to these types of debt securities will be included in the applicable supplements.

Market-Making Transactions

One or more of our affiliates may purchase and resell debt securities in market-making transactions after their initial issuance. We may also, subject to applicable law and any required regulatory approval, purchase debt securities in the open market or in private transactions to be held by us or cancelled.

Covenants

Except as described in this sub-section or as otherwise provided in an applicable supplement with respect to any series of debt securities, we are not restricted by the indentures from incurring, assuming or becoming liable for any type of debt or other obligations, from paying dividends or making distributions on our capital stock or purchasing or redeeming our capital stock. The indentures do not require the maintenance of any financial ratios or specified levels of net worth or liquidity, nor do they contain any covenants or other provisions that would limit our or our subsidiaries’ right to incur additional indebtedness, enter into any sale and leaseback transaction or grant liens on our or our subsidiaries’ assets. The indentures do not contain any provisions that would require

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us to repurchase or redeem or otherwise modify the terms of any of the debt securities upon a change in control or other events that may adversely affect the creditworthiness of the debt securities, for example, a highly leveraged transaction, except as otherwise specified in this prospectus or any applicable supplement.

Mergers and Similar Events

Each of the indentures provide that we are permitted to merge, amalgamate, consolidate or otherwise combine with another entity, or to sell or lease substantially all of our assets to another entity, as long as the following conditions are met:

If the conditions described above are satisfied, we will not need to obtain the consent of the holders of the debt securities in order to merge, amalgamate, consolidate or otherwise combine with another entity or to sell substantially all of our assets.

We will not need to satisfy the conditions described above if we enter into other types of transactions, including:

It is possible that this type of transaction may result in a reduction in our credit rating, may reduce our operating results or may impair our financial condition. Holders of debt securities, however, will have no approval right with respect to any transaction of this type.

Modification and Waiver of the Debt Securities

There are four types of changes we can make to the indenture and the debt securities issued under that indenture.

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We may also make changes or obtain waivers that do not adversely affect in any material respect a particular debt security, even if they affect other debt securities. In those cases, we do not need to obtain the consent of the holder of that debt security; we need only obtain any required approvals from the holders of the affected debt securities.

Further Details Concerning Voting. When seeking consent, we will use the following rules to decide how much principal amount to attribute to a debt security:

Debt securities will not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote or take other action under the applicable indenture, if we have given a notice of redemption and deposited or set aside in trust for the holders’ money for the payment or redemption of the debt securities. Debt securities will also not be considered outstanding, and therefore not eligible to vote or take other action under the applicable indenture, if they have

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been fully defeased as described below under “— Defeasance — Full Defeasance” or if we or one of our affiliates is the beneficial owner of the debt securities.

We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders of outstanding debt securities that are entitled to vote or take other action under the applicable indenture. In certain limited circumstances, the trustee will be entitled to set a record date for action by holders. If the trustee or we set a record date for a vote or other action to be taken by holders of a particular series, that vote or action may be taken only by persons who are holders of outstanding debt securities of that series on the record date. We or the trustee, as applicable, may shorten or lengthen this period from time to time. This period, however, may not extend beyond the 180th day after the record date for the action.

Book-entry and other indirect holders should consult their banks, brokers or other financial institutions for information on how approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change the indenture or the debt securities or request a waiver.

Special Provisions Related to the Subordinated Debt Securities

The subordinated debt securities issued under the subordinated debt indenture will be our direct unsecured obligations constituting subordinated indebtedness for the purpose of the Bank Act and will therefore rank subordinate to our deposits. Holders of subordinated debt securities should recognize that contractual provisions in the subordinated debt indenture may prohibit us from making payments on these debt securities.

If we become insolvent or are wound-up, the subordinated debt securities issued and outstanding under the subordinated debt indenture will rank equally with, but not prior to, all other subordinated indebtedness and subordinate in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all other indebtedness of the Bank then outstanding, other than liabilities which, by their terms, rank in right of payment equally with or subordinate to the subordinated indebtedness, and in accordance with the terms of such liabilities or such other indebtedness.

For these purposes, “indebtedness” at any time means:

(i) the deposit liabilities of the Bank at such time; and

(ii) all other liabilities and obligations of the Bank to third parties (other than fines or penalties that, pursuant to the Bank Act, are a last charge on the assets of a Bank in the case of insolvency of the Bank and obligations to shareholders of the Bank, as such) which would entitle such third parties to participate in a distribution of the Bank’s assets in the event of the insolvency or winding-up of the Bank.

“subordinated indebtedness” at any time means:

(i) the liability of the Bank in respect of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on its outstanding subordinated indebtedness outlined above;

(ii) any indebtedness which ranks equally with and not prior to the outstanding subordinated indebtedness, in right of payment in the event of the insolvency or winding-up of the Bank and which, pursuant to the terms of the instrument evidencing or creating the same, is expressed to be subordinate in right of payment to all indebtedness to which the outstanding subordinated indebtedness is subordinate in right of payment to at least the same extent as the outstanding subordinated indebtedness is subordinated thereto pursuant to the terms of the instrument evidencing or creating the same;

(iii) any indebtedness which ranks subordinate to and not equally with or prior to the outstanding subordinated indebtedness, in right of payment in the event of the insolvency or winding-up of the Bank and which, pursuant to the terms of the instrument evidencing or creating the same, is expressed to be subordinate in right of payment to all indebtedness to which the outstanding subordinated indebtedness is subordinate in right of payment to at least the same extent as the outstanding subordinated indebtedness is subordinate pursuant to the terms of the instrument evidencing or creating the same; and

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(iv) the subordinated debt securities, which will rank equally to the Bank’s outstanding subordinated indebtedness.

The subordination provisions of the subordinated debt indenture are governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein.

Conversion or Exchange of Debt Securities

If and to the extent mentioned in the applicable supplements, any debt securities may be optionally or mandatorily convertible or exchangeable for other securities of the Bank or another entity or entities, into the cash value therefor or into any combination of the above. The specific terms on which any debt securities may be so converted or exchanged will be described in the applicable supplements. These terms may include provisions for conversion or exchange, either mandatory, at the holder’s option or at our option, in which case the amount or number of securities the holders of the debt securities would receive would be calculated at the time and manner described in the applicable supplements.

Non-Viability Capital Contingency Provisions

Under capital adequacy requirements adopted by the OSFI, in order to qualify as regulatory capital, subordinated debt securities issued after January 1, 2013 must include terms providing for the full and permanent conversion of those subordinated debt securities into common shares upon the occurrence of certain trigger events relating to financial viability (“Non-Viability Capital Contingency Provisions”). The specific terms of any Non-Viability Capital Contingency Provisions for any subordinated debt securities that the Bank issues under this prospectus will be described in one or more supplements relating to those securities.

Defeasance

The following discussion of full defeasance and covenant defeasance will be applicable to each series of debt securities that is denominated in U.S. dollars and has a fixed rate of interest and will apply to other series of debt securities if we so specify in the applicable supplements.

Full Defeasance. If there is a change in U.S. federal income tax law, as described below, we can legally release ourselves from any payment or other obligations on the debt securities, called full defeasance, if we put in place the following other arrangements for holders to be repaid:

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If we ever did accomplish full defeasance, as described above, you would have to rely solely on the trust deposit for repayment on the debt securities. You could not look to us for repayment in the event of any shortfall.

Covenant Defeasance. Even without a change in current U.S. federal income tax law, we can make the same type of deposit as described above, and we will be released from the restrictive covenants under the debt securities that may be described in the applicable supplements. This is called covenant defeasance. In that event, you would lose the protection of these covenants but would gain the protection of having money and U.S. government or U.S. government agency notes or bonds set aside in trust to repay the debt securities. In order to achieve covenant defeasance, we must do the following:

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, certain provisions of the indentures and the debt securities would no longer apply:

If we accomplish covenant defeasance, you can still look to us for repayment of the debt securities if there were a shortfall in the trust deposit. In fact, if one of the remaining events of default occurs (such as a bankruptcy) and the debt securities become immediately due and payable, there may be such a shortfall.

Events of Default

You will have special rights if an “event of default” occurs and is not cured, as described later in this subsection.

What is an Event of Default?

Under the senior debt indenture, the term “event of default” means any of the following:

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Under the subordinated debt indenture, the term “event of default” means any of the following:

Remedies If an Event of Default Occurs. If an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will have special duties and rights. In that situation, the trustee will be obligated to use certain of its rights and powers as set forth under the applicable indenture, and to use the same degree of care and skill in doing so, that a prudent person would use in that situation in conducting his or her own affairs. If an event of default has occurred and has not been cured, the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series may declare the entire principal amount of (or, in the case of original issue discount securities, the portion of the principal amount that is specified in the terms of the affected debt security) and interest on all of the debt securities of that series to be due and immediately payable. This is called a declaration of acceleration of maturity. The declaration of acceleration of maturity is not, however, an automatic right upon the occurrence of an event of default, and for such acceleration to be effective, the trustee must take the aforementioned action or the holders must direct the trustee to act as described in this section below. Furthermore, a declaration of acceleration of maturity may be cancelled, but only before a judgment or decree based on the acceleration has been obtained, by the holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of the affected series. If you are the holder of a subordinated debt security, the principal amount of the subordinated debt security will not be paid and may not be required to be paid at any time prior to the relevant maturity date, except in the event of our insolvency or winding-up. If any provisions of applicable U.S. or Canadian banking law prohibit the payment of any amounts due under the debt securities before a specified time, then the obligation to make such payment shall be subject to such prohibition.

You should read carefully the applicable supplements relating to any series of debt securities which are original issue discount debt securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of the maturity of a portion of the principal amount of original issue discount debt securities upon the occurrence of an event of default and its continuation.

Except in cases of default in which the trustee has the special duties described above, the trustee is not required to take any action under the indenture at the request of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable protection from expenses and liability called an indemnity. If security or indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee is provided to the Trustee, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the relevant series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee. These majority holders may also direct the trustee in performing any other action under the applicable indenture with respect to the debt securities of that series.

Before you bypass the trustee and bring your own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce your rights or protect your interests relating to the debt securities the following must occur:

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However, you are entitled at any time to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on your debt security on or after its due date.

BOOK-ENTRY AND OTHER INDIRECT HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR BANKS, BROKERS OR OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO GIVE NOTICE OR DIRECTION TO OR MAKE A REQUEST OF THE TRUSTEE AND TO MAKE OR CANCEL A DECLARATION OF ACCELERATION.

We will give to the trustee every year a written statement of certain of our officers certifying that to their knowledge we are in compliance with the applicable indenture and the debt securities issued under it, or else specifying any default.

Form, Exchange and Transfer

Unless we specify otherwise in an applicable supplement, the debt securities will be issued:

If a debt security is issued as a registered global security, only the depositary — such as DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, each as defined below under “— Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance” — will be entitled to transfer and exchange the debt security as described in this subsection because the depositary will be the sole registered holder of the debt security and is referred to below as the “holder”. Those who own beneficial interests in a global security do so through participants in the depositary’s securities clearance system, and the rights of these indirect owners will be governed by the applicable procedures of the depositary and its participants. We describe book-entry procedures below under “— Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance”.

Holders of debt securities issued in fully-registered form may have their debt securities broken into more debt securities of smaller denominations of not less than $1,000, or combined into fewer debt securities of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount is not changed. This is called an exchange.

Holders may exchange or register the transfer of debt securities at the office of the trustee. Debt securities may be transferred by endorsement. Holders may also replace lost, stolen or mutilated debt securities at that office. The trustee acts as our agent for registering debt securities in the names of holders and registering the transfer of debt securities. We may change this appointment to another entity or perform it ourselves. The entity performing the role of maintaining the list of registered holders is called the security registrar. It will also record transfers. The trustee may require an indemnity before replacing any debt securities.

Holders will not be required to pay a service charge to register the transfer or exchange of debt securities, but holders may be required to pay for any tax or other governmental charge associated with the exchange or transfer. The registration of a transfer or exchange will only be made if the security registrar is satisfied with your proof of ownership.

If we designate additional agents, they will be named in the applicable supplements. We may cancel the designation of any particular agent. We may also approve a change in the office through which any agent acts.

If the debt securities are redeemable and we redeem less than all of the debt securities of a particular series, we may block the registration of transfer or exchange of debt securities during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail the notice of redemption and ending on the day of that mailing, in order to freeze the list of holders entitled to receive the mailing. We may also refuse to register transfers or exchanges of debt securities selected for redemption, except that we will continue to permit registration of transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any debt security being partially redeemed.

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The Trustee

Wells Fargo Bank, National Association serves as the trustee for our senior debt securities. Wells Fargo Bank, National Association also serves as the trustee for the subordinated debt securities. Consequently, if an actual or potential event of default occurs with respect to any of these debt securities, the trustee may be considered to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. In that case, the trustee may be required to resign under one or both of the indentures, and we would be required to appoint a successor trustee. For this purpose, a “potential” event of default means an event that would be an event of default if the requirements for giving us default notice or for the default having to exist for a specific period of time were disregarded. From time to time, we and our affiliates have conducted commercial banking, financial and other transactions with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association and its respective affiliates for which fees have been paid in the ordinary course of business. We may conduct these types of transactions with each other in the future and receive fees for services performed.

Payment and Paying Agents

We will pay interest to the person listed in the trustee’s records at the close of business on a particular day in advance of each due date for interest, even if that person no longer owns the debt security on the interest due date. That particular day, usually about two weeks in advance of the interest due date, is called the regular record date and will be stated in the applicable supplement. Holders buying and selling debt securities must work out between them how to compensate for the fact that we will pay all the interest for an interest period to the one who is the registered holder on the regular record date. The most common manner is to adjust the sale price of the debt securities to prorate interest fairly between buyer and seller. This prorated interest amount is called accrued interest.

We will pay interest, principal and any other money due on the debt securities at the corporate trust office of the trustee in The City of New York or such other office as may be agreed upon. As at the date of this prospectus, that office is located at 150 East 42nd Street, 40th Floor, New York, New York 10017. Holders must make arrangements to have their payments picked up at or wired from that office or such other office as may be agreed upon. We may also choose to pay interest by mailing checks.

BOOK-ENTRY AND OTHER INDIRECT HOLDERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR BANKS, BROKERS OR OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FOR INFORMATION ON HOW THEY WILL RECEIVE PAYMENTS.

We may also arrange for additional payment offices and may cancel or change these offices, including our use of the trustee’s corporate trust office. These offices are called paying agents. We may also choose to act as our own paying agent or choose one of our subsidiaries to do so. We must notify holders of changes in the paying agents for any particular series of debt securities.

Notices

We and the trustee will send notices regarding the debt securities only to registered holders, using their addresses as listed in the trustee’s records. With respect to who is a registered “holder” for this purpose, see “— Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance”.

Regardless of who acts as paying agent, all money paid by us to a paying agent that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after the amount is due to holders will be repaid to us. After that two-year period, holders may look to us for payment and not to the trustee or any other paying agent.

Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance

In this section, we describe special considerations that will apply to registered debt securities issued in global i.e., book-entry, form. First we describe the difference between registered ownership and indirect ownership of registered securities. Then we describe special provisions that apply to global securities.

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Who is the Legal Owner of a Registered Debt Security?

Each debt security will be represented either by a certificate issued in definitive form to a particular investor or by one or more global securities representing debt securities. We refer to those who have debt securities registered in their own names, on the books that we or the trustee maintain for this purpose, as the “registered holders” of those debt securities. Subject to limited exceptions, we and the trustee are entitled to treat the registered holder of a debt security as the person exclusively entitled to vote, to receive notices, to receive any interest or other payment in respect of the debt security and to exercise all the rights and power as an owner of the debt security. We refer to those who own beneficial interests in debt securities that are not registered in their own names as indirect owners of those debt securities. As we discuss below, indirect owners are not registered holders, and investors in debt securities issued in book-entry form or in street name will be indirect owners.

Book-Entry Owners. Unless otherwise noted in an applicable supplement, we will issue each debt security in book-entry form only. This means that debt securities will be represented by one or more global securities registered in the name of a financial institution that holds them as depositary on behalf of other financial institutions that participate in the depositary’s book-entry system. These participating institutions, in turn, hold beneficial interests in the debt securities on behalf of themselves or their customers.

Under each indenture (and the Bank Act in the case of subordinated indebtedness), subject to limited exceptions and applicable law, only the person in whose name a debt security is registered is recognized as the holder of that debt security. Consequently, for debt securities issued in global form, we will recognize only the depositary as the holder of the debt securities and we will make all payments on the debt securities, including deliveries of any property other than cash, to the depositary. The depositary passes along the payments it receives to its participants, which in turn pass the payments along to their customers who are the beneficial owners. The depositary and its participants do so under agreements they have made with one another or with their customers; they are not obligated to do so under the terms of the debt securities.

As a result, investors will not own debt securities directly. Instead, they will own beneficial interests in a global security, through a bank, broker or other financial institution that participates in the depositary’s book-entry system or holds an interest through a participant. As long as the debt securities are issued in global form, investors will be indirect owners, and not registered holders, of the debt securities.

Street Name Owners. We may terminate an existing global security or issue debt securities initially in non-global form. In these cases, investors may choose to hold their debt securities in their own names or in street name. Debt securities held by an investor in street name would be registered in the name of a bank, broker or other financial institution that the investor chooses, and the investor would hold only a beneficial interest in those debt securities through an account he or she maintains at that institution.

For debt securities held in street name, we will, subject to limited exceptions and applicable law, recognize only the intermediary banks, brokers and other financial institutions in whose names the debt securities are registered as the holders of those debt securities, and we will make all payments on those debt securities, including deliveries of any property other than cash, to them. These institutions pass along the payments they receive to their customers who are the beneficial owners, but only because they agree to do so in their customer agreements or because they are legally required to do so. Investors who hold debt securities in street name will be indirect owners, not registered holders, of those debt securities.

Registered Holders. Subject to limited exceptions, our obligations, as well as the obligations of the trustee under any indenture and the obligations, if any, of any other third parties employed by us, run only to the registered holders of the debt securities. We do not have obligations to investors who hold beneficial interests in global securities, in street name or by any other indirect means. This will be the case whether an investor chooses to be an indirect owner of a debt security or has no choice because we are issuing the debt securities only in global form.

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For example, once we make a payment or give a notice to the registered holder, we have no further responsibility for that payment or notice even if that holder is required, under agreements with depositary participants or customers or by law, to pass it along to the indirect owners but does not do so. Similarly, if we want to obtain the approval of the holders for any purpose — for example, to amend the indenture for a series of debt securities or to relieve us of the consequences of a default or of our obligation to comply with a particular provision of an indenture — we would seek the approval only from the registered holders, and not the indirect owners, of the relevant debt securities. Whether and how the registered holders contact the indirect owners is up to the registered holders.

When we refer to “you” in this prospectus, we mean all purchasers of the debt securities being offered by this prospectus and the applicable supplements, whether they are the registered holders or only indirect owners of those debt securities. When we refer to “your debt securities” in this prospectus, we mean the debt securities in which you will hold a direct or indirect interest.

Special Considerations for Indirect Owners. If you hold debt securities through a bank, broker or other financial institution, either in book-entry form or in street name, you should check with your own institution to find out:

What is a Global Security?

Unless otherwise noted in the applicable supplement, we will issue each debt security in book-entry form only. Each debt security issued in book-entry form will be represented by a global security that we deposit with and register in the name of one or more financial institutions or clearing systems, or their nominees, which we select. A financial institution or clearing system that we select for any debt security for this purpose is called the “depositary” for that debt security. A debt security will usually have only one depositary but it may have more. Each series of debt securities will have one or more of the following as the depositaries:

The depositaries named above may also be participants in one another’s systems. Thus, for example, if DTC is the depositary for a global security, investors may hold beneficial interests in that debt security through Euroclear or Clearstream, as DTC participants. The depositary or depositaries for your debt securities will be named in the applicable supplements; if none is named, the depositary will be DTC.

A global security may represent one or any other number of individual debt securities. Generally, all debt securities represented by the same global security will have the same terms. We may, however, issue a global security that represents multiple securities of the same kind, such as debt securities, that have different terms and are issued at different times. We call this kind of global security a master global security. The applicable supplements will not indicate whether your debt securities are represented by a master global security.

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A global security may not be transferred to or registered in the name of anyone other than the depositary or its nominee, unless special termination situations arise. We describe those situations below under “— Holder’s Option to Obtain a Non-Global Security; Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated”. As a result of these arrangements, the depositary, or its nominee, will be the sole registered owner and holder of all debt securities represented by a global security, and investors will be permitted to own only indirect interests in a global security. Indirect interests must be held by means of an account with a broker, bank or other financial institution that in turn has an account with the depositary or with another institution that does. Thus, an investor whose debt security is represented by a global security will not be a holder of the debt security, but only an indirect owner of an interest in the global security.

If an applicable supplement for a particular debt security indicates that the debt security will be issued in global form only, then the debt security will be represented by a global security at all times unless and until the global security is terminated. We describe the situations in which this can occur below under “— Holder’s Option to Obtain a Non-Global Security; Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated”. If termination occurs, we may issue the debt securities through another book-entry clearing system or decide that the debt securities may no longer be held through any book-entry clearing system.

Special Considerations for Global Securities. As an indirect owner, an investor’s rights relating to a global security will be governed by the account rules of the depositary and those of the investor’s bank, broker, financial institution or other intermediary through which it holds its interest (such as Euroclear or Clearstream, if DTC is the depositary), as well as general laws relating to debt securities transfers. We do not recognize this type of investor or any intermediary as a holder of debt securities and instead deal only with the depositary that holds the global security.

If debt securities are issued only in the form of a global security, an investor should be aware of the following:

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Holder’s Option to Obtain a Non-Global Security; Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated. If we issue any series of debt securities in book-entry form but we choose to give the beneficial owners of that series the right to obtain non-global securities, any beneficial owner entitled to obtain non-global securities may do so by following the applicable procedures of the depositary, any transfer agent or registrar for that series and that owner’s bank, broker or other financial institution through which that owner holds its beneficial interest in the debt securities. If you are entitled to request a non-global certificate and wish to do so, you will need to allow sufficient lead time to enable us or our agent to prepare the requested certificate.

In addition, in a few special situations described below, a global security will be terminated and interests in it will be exchanged for certificates in non-global form representing the debt securities it represented. After that exchange, the choice of whether to hold the debt securities directly or in street name will be up to the investor. Investors must consult their own banks, brokers or other financial institutions, to find out how to have their interests in a global security transferred on termination to their own names, so that they will be holders. We have described the rights of holders and street name investors above under “— Who Is the Legal Owner of a Registered Debt Security?”

The special situations for termination of a global security are as follows:

If a global security is terminated, only the depositary, and neither we nor the trustee for any debt securities is responsible for deciding the names of the institutions in whose names the debt securities represented by the global security will be registered and, therefore, who will be the registered holders of those debt securities.

Considerations Relating to DTC

DTC has informed us that it is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC holds debt securities that DTC participants deposit with DTC. DTC also facilitates the settlement among DTC participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited debt securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in DTC participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates. DTC participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations, and may include other organizations. DTC is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, which in turn is owned by a number of participants of DTC and members of the National Securities Clearing Corporation and Emerging Markets Clearing Corporation, as well as by the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Indirect access to the DTC system also is available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly. The rules applicable to DTC and DTC participants are on file with the SEC.

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Purchases of debt securities within the DTC system must be made by or through DTC participants, who will receive a credit for the debt securities on DTC’s records. Transfers of ownership interests in the debt securities are to be accomplished by entries made on the books of participants acting on behalf of beneficial owners.

Redemption notices will be sent to DTC’s nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of the debt securities. If less than all of the debt securities are being redeemed, DTC will determine the amount of the interest of each direct participant to be redeemed in accordance with its then-current procedures.

In instances in which a vote is required, neither DTC nor Cede & Co. will itself consent or vote with respect to the debt securities. Under its usual procedures, DTC would mail an omnibus proxy to the relevant trustee as soon as possible after the record date. The omnibus proxy assigns Cede & Co.’s consenting or voting rights to those direct participants to whose accounts such debt securities are credited on the record date (identified in a listing attached to the omnibus proxy).

Distribution payments on the debt securities will be made by the relevant trustee to DTC. DTC’s usual practice is to credit direct participants’ accounts on the relevant payment date in accordance with their respective holdings shown on DTC’s records unless DTC has reason to believe that it will not receive payments on such payment date. Payments by participants to beneficial owners will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices and will be the responsibility of such participants and not of DTC, the relevant trustee or us, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements as may be in effect from time to time. Payment of distributions to DTC is the responsibility of the relevant trustee, and disbursements of such payments to the beneficial owners are the responsibility of direct and indirect participants.

The information in this section concerning DTC and DTC’s book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be accurate, but we assume no responsibility for the accuracy thereof. We do not have any responsibility for the performance by DTC or its participants of their respective obligations as described herein or under the rules and procedures governing their respective operations.

Considerations Relating to Clearstream and Euroclear

Clearstream and Euroclear are securities clearance systems in Europe. Clearstream and Euroclear have respectively informed us that Clearstream and Euroclear each hold securities for their customers and facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions by electronic book-entry transfer between their respective account holders. Clearstream and Euroclear provide various services including safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and securities lending and borrowing. Clearstream and Euroclear also deal with domestic securities markets in several countries through established depositary and custodial relationships. Clearstream and Euroclear have established an electronic bridge between their two systems across which their respective participants may settle trades with each other. Clearstream and Euroclear customers are world-wide financial institutions including underwriters, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations. Indirect access to Clearstream and Euroclear is available to other institutions that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with an account holder of either system.

Euroclear and Clearstream may be depositaries for a global security. In addition, if DTC is the depositary for a global security, Euroclear and Clearstream may hold interests in the global security as participants in DTC.

As long as any global security is held by Euroclear or Clearstream, as depositary, you may hold an interest in the global security only through an organization that participates, directly or indirectly, in Euroclear or Clearstream. If Euroclear or Clearstream is the depositary for a global security and there is no depositary in the United States, you will not be able to hold interests in that global security through any securities clearance system in the United States.

Payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other matters relating to the debt securities made through Euroclear or Clearstream must comply with the rules and procedures of those systems. Those systems

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could change their rules and procedures at any time. We have no control over those systems or their participants and we take no responsibility for their activities. Transactions between participants in Euroclear or Clearstream, on one hand, and participants in DTC, on the other hand, when DTC is the depositary, would also be subject to DTC’s rules and procedures.

Special Timing Considerations Relating to Transactions in Euroclear and Clearstream. Investors will be able to make and receive through Euroclear and Clearstream payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other transactions involving any debt securities held through those systems only on days when those systems are open for business. Those systems may not be open for business on days when banks, brokers and other financial institutions are open for business in the United States.

In addition, because of time-zone differences, U.S. investors who hold their interests in the debt securities through these systems and wish to transfer their interests, or to receive or make a payment or delivery or exercise any other right with respect to their interests, on a particular day may find that the transaction will not be effected until the next business day in Luxembourg or Brussels, as applicable. Thus, investors who wish to exercise rights that expire on a particular day may need to act before the expiration date. In addition, investors who hold their interests through both DTC and Euroclear or Clearstream may need to make special arrangements to finance any purchases or sales of their interests between the U.S. and European clearing systems, and those transactions may settle later than would be the case for transactions within one clearing system.

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UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION

This section describes the material United States federal income tax consequences to a United States holder (as defined below) of owning the securities we are offering. It is the opinion of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel to the Bank. It applies to you only if you hold your securities as capital assets for United States federal income tax purposes. This section does not apply to you if you are a member of a class of holders subject to special rules, such as:

This section is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations under the Code, published rulings and court decisions, all as currently in effect, as well as on the U.S. — Canada Income Tax Convention (the “Treaty”). These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis.

If a partnership holds the securities, the United States federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the tax treatment of the partnership. A partner in a partnership holding the securities should consult its tax advisor with regard to the United States federal income tax treatment of an investment in the securities.

Please consult your own tax advisor concerning the consequences of owning these securities in your particular circumstances under the Code and the laws of any other taxing jurisdiction.

You are a United States holder if you are a beneficial owner of a security and you are:

Tax consequences to holders of our common shares

This subsection discusses tax consequences relevant to the purchase, ownership and disposition of our common shares. United States federal income tax consequences relevant to preferred shares are not described in this prospectus and will be discussed in an applicable supplement.

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Taxation of Dividends

Subject to the passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) rules described below, the gross amount of any dividend (including any Canadian income tax withheld) we pay out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for United States federal income tax purposes) is subject to United States federal income taxation. If you are a noncorporate United States holder, dividends that constitute qualified dividend income will be taxable to you at the preferential rates applicable to long-term capital gains provided that you hold the common shares for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date and meet other holding period requirements. Dividends we pay with respect to the common shares generally will be qualified dividend income.

The dividend is taxable to you when you receive the dividend, actually or constructively. The dividend will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to United States corporations in respect of dividends received from other United States corporations. Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for United States federal income tax purposes) will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of your basis in the common shares and thereafter as capital gain.

Subject to certain limitations, the Canadian tax withheld will be creditable or deductible against your United States federal income tax liability. Special rules apply in determining the foreign tax credit limitation with respect to dividends that are subject to the preferential tax rates. To the extent a refund of the tax withheld or a reduction of the applicable withholding rate is available to you under Canadian law or under the Treaty, the amount of tax withheld that is refundable or that could have been reduced will not be eligible for credit against your United States federal income tax liability.

For foreign tax credit limitation purposes, dividends will be income from sources outside the United States and will, depending on your circumstances, be either “passive” or “general” income for foreign tax credit limitation purposes.

Sale or Exchange of Common Shares

Subject to the PFIC rules described below, if you are a United States holder and you sell or otherwise dispose of your common shares, you will recognize capital gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes equal to the difference between the U.S. dollar value of the amount that you realize and your tax basis, determined in U.S. dollars, in your common shares. Capital gain of a noncorporate United States holder is generally taxed at preferential rates where the property is held for more than one year. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to limitations. The gain or loss will generally be income or loss from sources within the United States for foreign tax credit limitation purposes.

PFIC Rules

We believe that common shares should not be treated as stock of a PFIC for United States federal income tax purposes, but this conclusion is a factual determination that is made annually and thus may be subject to change. Any subsequent determinations that we make with respect to our PFIC status will be discussed in an applicable supplement.

In general, if you are a United States holder, we will be a PFIC with respect to you if for any taxable year in which you held our common shares:

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Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, royalties, rents (other than certain rents and royalties derived in the active conduct of a trade or business), annuities and gains from assets that produce passive income. If a foreign corporation owns at least 25% by value of the stock of another corporation, the foreign corporation is treated for purposes of the PFIC tests as owning its proportionate share of the assets of the other corporation, and as receiving directly its proportionate share of the other corporation’s income. For this purpose, income derived in the active conduct of our banking business should not be treated as passive income.

Tax consequences to holders of our debt securities

This subsection deals only with debt securities that have all of the following features: (i) the debt securities are issued directly by us and not by our Chicago branch, (ii) the debt securities do not have Non-Viability Capital Contingency Provisions, (iii) the debt securities are due to mature 30 years or less from the date on which they are issued, and (iv) the terms of the debt securities are described in this prospectus. The United States federal income tax consequences of owning debt securities that are issued by our Chicago branch, debt securities with Non-Viability Capital Contingency Provisions, debt securities that are due to mature more than 30 years from their date of issue, and debt securities whose terms are not described in this prospectus will be discussed in an applicable supplement.

Payments of Interest

Except as described below in the case of interest on a discount debt security that is not qualified stated interest, each as defined below under “— Original Issue Discount — General”, you will be taxed on any interest on your debt security, whether payable in U.S. dollars or a foreign currency, including a composite currency or basket of currencies other than U.S. dollars, as ordinary income at the time you receive the interest or when it accrues, depending on your method of accounting for tax purposes.

Interest that we pay on the debt securities and original issue discount, if any, accrued with respect to the debt securities (as described below under “— Original Issue Discount”) is income from sources outside the United States subject to the rules regarding the foreign tax credit allowable to a United States holder. Under the foreign tax credit rules, interest and original issue discount and additional amounts will, depending on your circumstances, be either “passive” or “general” income for purposes of computing the foreign tax credit.

Foreign Currency Notes — Cash Basis Taxpayers. If you are a taxpayer that uses the cash receipts and disbursements method of accounting for tax purposes and you receive an interest payment that is denominated in, or determined by reference to, a foreign currency, you must recognize income equal to the U.S. dollar value of the interest payment, based on the exchange rate in effect on the date of receipt, regardless of whether you actually convert the payment into U.S. dollars.

Foreign Currency Notes — Accrual Basis Taxpayers. If you are a taxpayer that uses an accrual method of accounting for tax purposes, you may determine the amount of income that you recognize with respect to an interest payment denominated in, or determined by reference to, a foreign currency by using one of two methods. Under the first method, you will determine the amount of income accrued based on the average exchange rate in effect during the interest accrual period or, with respect to an accrual period that spans two taxable years, that part of the period within the taxable year.

If you elect the second method, you would determine the amount of income accrued on the basis of the exchange rate in effect on the last day of the accrual period, or, in the case of an accrual period that spans two taxable years, the exchange rate in effect on the last day of the part of the period within the taxable year. Additionally, under this second method, if you receive a payment of interest within five business days of the last day of your accrual period or taxable year, you may instead translate the interest accrued into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate in effect on the day that you actually receive the interest payment. If you elect the second method

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it will apply to all debt instruments that you hold at the beginning of the first taxable year to which the election applies and to all debt instruments that you subsequently acquire. You may not revoke this election without the consent of the IRS.

When you actually receive an interest payment, including a payment attributable to accrued but unpaid interest upon the sale or retirement of your debt security, denominated in, or determined by reference to, a foreign currency for which you accrued an amount of income, you will recognize ordinary income or loss measured by the difference, if any, between the exchange rate that you used to accrue interest income and the exchange rate in effect on the date of receipt, regardless of whether you actually convert the payment into U.S. dollars.

Original Issue Discount

General. If you own a debt security, other than a short-term debt security with a term of one year or less, it will be treated as a discount debt security issued at an original issue discount if the amount by which the debt security’s stated redemption price at maturity exceeds its issue price is more than a de minimis amount. Generally, a debt security’s issue price will be the first price at which a substantial amount of debt securities included in the issue of which the debt security is a part is sold to persons other than bond houses, brokers, or similar persons or organizations acting in the capacity of underwriters, placement agents, or wholesalers. A debt security’s stated redemption price at maturity is the total of all payments provided by the debt security that are not payments of qualified stated interest. Generally, an interest payment on a debt security is qualified stated interest if it is one of a series of stated interest payments on a debt security that are unconditionally payable at least annually at a single fixed rate, with certain exceptions for lower rates paid during some periods, applied to the outstanding principal amount of the debt security. There are special rules for variable rate debt securities that are discussed under “— Variable Rate Debt Securities”.

In general, your debt security is not a discount debt security if the amount by which its stated redemption price at maturity exceeds its issue price is less than the de minimis amount of 1/4 of 1 percent of its stated redemption price at maturity multiplied by the number of complete years to its maturity. Your debt security will have de minimis original issue discount if the amount of the excess is less than the de minimis amount. If your debt security has de minimis original issue discount, you must include the de minimis amount in income as stated principal payments are made on the debt security, unless you make the election described below under “— Election to Treat All Interest as Original Issue Discount”. You can determine the includible amount with respect to each such payment by multiplying the total amount of your debt security’s de minimis original issue discount by a fraction equal to:

divided by:

Generally, if your discount debt security matures more than one year from its date of issue, you must include original issue discount, or OID, in income before you receive cash attributable to that income. The amount of OID that you must include in income is calculated using a constant-yield method, and generally you will include increasingly greater amounts of OID in income over the life of your debt security. More specifically, you can calculate the amount of OID that you must include in income by adding the daily portions of OID with respect to your discount debt security for each day during the taxable year or portion of the taxable year that you hold your discount debt security. You can determine the daily portion by allocating to each day in any accrual period a pro rata portion of the OID allocable to that accrual period. You may select an accrual period of any length with respect to your discount debt security and you may vary the length of each accrual period over the term of your discount debt security. However, no accrual period may be longer than one year and each scheduled payment of interest or principal on the discount debt security must occur on either the first or final day of an accrual period.

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You can determine the amount of OID allocable to an accrual period by:

You must determine the discount debt security’s yield to maturity on the basis of compounding at the close of each accrual period and adjusting for the length of each accrual period. Further, you determine your discount debt security’s adjusted issue price at the beginning of any accrual period by:

If an interval between payments of qualified stated interest on your discount debt security contains more than one accrual period, then, when you determine the amount of OID allocable to an accrual period, you must allocate the amount of qualified stated interest payable at the end of the interval, including any qualified stated interest that is payable on the first day of the accrual period immediately following the interval, pro rata to each accrual period in the interval based on their relative lengths. In addition, you must increase the adjusted issue price at the beginning of each accrual period in the interval by the amount of any qualified stated interest that has accrued prior to the first day of the accrual period but that is not payable until the end of the interval. You may compute the amount of OID allocable to an initial short accrual period by using any reasonable method if all other accrual periods, other than a final short accrual period, are of equal length.

The amount of OID allocable to the final accrual period is equal to the difference between:

Acquisition Premium. If you purchase your debt security for an amount that is less than or equal to the sum of all amounts, other than qualified stated interest, payable on your debt security after the purchase date but is greater than the amount of your debt security’s adjusted issue price, as determined above under “— General”, the excess is acquisition premium. If you do not make the election described below under “— Election to Treat All Interest as Original Issue Discount”, then you must reduce the daily portions of OID by a fraction equal to:

divided by:

Pre-Issuance Accrued Interest. An election may be made to decrease the issue price of your debt security by the amount of pre-issuance accrued interest if:

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If this election is made, a portion of the first stated interest payment will be treated as a return of the excluded pre-issuance accrued interest and not as an amount payable on your debt security.

Debt Securities Subject to Contingencies Including Optional Redemption. Your debt security is subject to a contingency if it provides for an alternative payment schedule or schedules applicable upon the occurrence of a contingency or contingencies, other than a remote or incidental contingency, whether such contingency relates to payments of interest or of principal. In such a case, you must determine the yield and maturity of your debt security by assuming that the payments will be made according to the payment schedule most likely to occur if:

If there is no single payment schedule that is significantly more likely than not to occur, other than because of a mandatory sinking fund, you must include income on your debt security in accordance with the general rules that govern contingent payment obligations. These rules will be discussed in an applicable supplement.

Notwithstanding the general rules for determining yield and maturity, if your debt security is subject to contingencies, and either you or we have an unconditional option or options that, if exercised, would require payments to be made on the debt security under an alternative payment schedule or schedules, then:

If both you and we hold options described in the preceding sentence, those rules will apply to each option in the order in which they may be exercised. You may determine the yield on your debt security for the purposes of those calculations by using any date on which your debt security may be redeemed or repurchased as the maturity date and the amount payable on the date that you chose in accordance with the terms of your debt security as the principal amount payable at maturity.

If a contingency, including the exercise of an option, actually occurs or does not occur contrary to an assumption made according to the above rules then, except to the extent that a portion of your debt security is repaid as a result of this change in circumstances and solely to determine the amount and accrual of OID, you must redetermine the yield and maturity of your debt security by treating your debt security as having been retired and reissued on the date of the change in circumstances for an amount equal to your debt security’s adjusted issue price on that date.

Election to Treat All Interest as Original Issue Discount. You may elect to include in gross income all interest that accrues on your debt security using the constant-yield method described above under “— General”, with the modifications described below. For purposes of this election, interest will include stated interest, OID, de minimis original issue discount, market discount, de minimis market discount and unstated interest, as adjusted by any amortizable bond premium, described below under “— Debt Securities Purchased at a Premium”, or acquisition premium.

If you make this election for your debt security, then, when you apply the constant-yield method:

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Generally, this election will apply only to the debt security for which you make it; however, if the debt security has amortizable bond premium, you will be deemed to have made an election to apply amortizable bond premium against interest for all debt instruments with amortizable bond premium, other than debt instruments the interest on which is excludible from gross income, that you hold as of the beginning of the taxable year to which the election applies or thereafter. Additionally, if you make this election for a market discount debt security, you will be treated as having made the election discussed below under “— Debt Securities Purchased with Market Discount” to include market discount in income currently over the life of all debt instruments having market discount that you acquire on or after the first day of the first taxable year to which the election applies. You may not revoke any election to apply the constant-yield method to all interest on a debt security or the deemed elections with respect to amortizable bond premium or market discount debt securities without the consent of the IRS.

Variable Rate Debt Securities. Your debt security will be a variable rate debt security if:

1. 0.015 multiplied by the product of the total noncontingent principal payments and the number of complete years to maturity from the issue date, or

2. 15 percent of the total noncontingent principal payments; and

1. one or more qualified floating rates,

2. a single fixed rate and one or more qualified floating rates,

3. a single objective rate, or

4. a single fixed rate and a single objective rate that is a qualified inverse floating rate; and

Your debt security will have a variable rate that is a qualified floating rate if:

1. multiplied by a fixed multiple that is greater than 0.65 but not more than 1.35, or

2. multiplied by a fixed multiple greater than 0.65 but not more than 1.35, and then increased or decreased by a fixed rate.

If your debt security provides for two or more qualified floating rates that are within 0.25 percentage points of each other on the issue date or can reasonably be expected to have approximately the same values throughout the term of the debt security, the qualified floating rates together constitute a single qualified floating rate.

Your debt security will not have a qualified floating rate, however, if the rate is subject to certain restrictions (including caps, floors, governors, or other similar restrictions) unless such restrictions are caps, floors or governors that are fixed throughout the term of the debt security or such restrictions are not reasonably expected to significantly affect the yield on the debt security.

Your debt security will have a variable rate that is a single objective rate if:

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Your debt security will not have a variable rate that is an objective rate, however, if it is reasonably expected that the average value of the rate during the first half of your debt security’s term will be either significantly less than or significantly greater than the average value of the rate during the final half of your debt security’s term.

An objective rate as described above is a qualified inverse floating rate if:

Your debt security will also have a single qualified floating rate or an objective rate if interest on your debt security is stated at a fixed rate for an initial period of one year or less followed by either a qualified floating rate or an objective rate for a subsequent period, and either:

In general, if your variable rate debt security provides for stated interest at a single qualified floating rate or objective rate, or one of those rates after a single fixed rate for an initial period, all stated interest on your debt security is qualified stated interest. In this case, the amount of OID, if any, is determined by using, in the case of a qualified floating rate or qualified inverse floating rate, the value as of the issue date of the qualified floating rate or qualified inverse floating rate, or, for any other objective rate, a fixed rate that reflects the yield reasonably expected for your debt security.

If your variable rate debt security does not provide for stated interest at a single qualified floating rate or a single objective rate, and also does not provide for interest payable at a fixed rate other than a single fixed rate for an initial period, you generally must determine the interest and OID accruals on your debt security by:

When you determine the fixed rate substitute for each variable rate provided under the variable rate debt security, you generally will use the value of each variable rate as of the issue date or, for an objective rate that is not a qualified inverse floating rate, a rate that reflects the reasonably expected yield on your debt security.

If your variable rate debt security provides for stated interest either at one or more qualified floating rates or at a qualified inverse floating rate, and also provides for stated interest at a single fixed rate other than at a single fixed rate for an initial period, you generally must determine interest and OID accruals by using the method described in the previous paragraph. However, your variable rate debt security will be treated, for purposes of the first three steps of the determination, as if your debt security had provided for a qualified floating rate, or a qualified inverse floating rate, rather than the fixed rate. The qualified floating rate, or qualified inverse floating rate, that replaces the fixed rate must be such that the fair market value of your variable rate debt security as of the issue date approximates the fair market value of an otherwise identical debt instrument that provides for the qualified floating rate, or qualified inverse floating rate, rather than the fixed rate.

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Short-Term Debt Securities. In general, if you are an individual or other cash basis United States holder of a short-term debt security, you are not required to accrue OID, as specially defined below for the purposes of this paragraph, for United States federal income tax purposes unless you elect to do so (although it is possible that you may be required to include any stated interest in income as you receive it). If you are an accrual basis taxpayer, a taxpayer in a special class, including, but not limited to, a regulated investment company, common trust fund, or a certain type of pass-through entity, or a cash basis taxpayer who so elects, you will be required to accrue OID on short-term debt securities on either a straight-line basis or under the constant-yield method, based on daily compounding. If you are not required and do not elect to include OID in income currently, any gain you realize on the sale or retirement of your short-term debt security will be ordinary income to the extent of the accrued OID, which will be determined on a straight-line basis unless you make an election to accrue the OID under the constant-yield method, through the date of sale or retirement. However, if you are not required and do not elect to accrue OID on your short-term debt securities, you will be required to defer deductions for interest on borrowings allocable to your short-term debt securities in an amount not exceeding the deferred income until the deferred income is realized.

When you determine the amount of OID subject to these rules, you must include all interest payments on your short-term debt security, including stated interest, in your short-term debt security’s stated redemption price at maturity.

Foreign Currency Discount Debt Securities. If your discount debt security is denominated in, or determined by reference to, a foreign currency, you must determine OID for any accrual period on your discount debt security in the foreign currency and then translate the amount of OID into U.S. dollars in the same manner as stated interest accrued by an accrual basis United States holder, as described under “— Tax consequences to holders of our debt securities — Payments of Interest”. You may recognize ordinary income or loss when you receive an amount attributable to OID in connection with a payment of interest or the sale or retirement of your debt security.

Debt Securities Purchased at a Premium

If you purchase your debt security for an amount in excess of its principal amount (or, in the case of a discount debt security, in excess of the sum of all amounts payable on the debt security after the acquisition date (other than payments of qualified stated interest)), you may elect to treat the excess as amortizable bond premium. If you make this election, you would reduce the amount required to be included in your income each accrual period with respect to interest on your debt security by the amount of amortizable bond premium allocable to that accrual period, based on your debt security’s yield to maturity.

If the amortizable bond premium allocable to an accrual period exceeds your interest income from your debt security for such accrual period, such excess is first allowed as a deduction to the extent of interest included in your income in respect of the debt security in previous accrual periods and is then carried forward to your next accrual period. If the amortizable bond premium allocable and carried forward to the accrual period in which your debt security is sold, retired or otherwise disposed of exceeds your interest income for such accrual period, you would be allowed an ordinary deduction equal to such excess.

If your debt security is denominated in, or determined by reference to, a foreign currency, you will compute your amortizable bond premium in units of the foreign currency and your amortizable bond premium will reduce your interest income in units of the foreign currency. Gain or loss recognized that is attributable to changes in exchange rates between the time your amortized bond premium offsets interest income and the time of the acquisition of your debt security is generally taxable as ordinary income or loss.

If you make an election to amortize bond premium, it will apply to all debt instruments, other than debt instruments the interest on which is excludible from gross income, that you hold at the beginning of the first

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taxable year to which the election applies or that you thereafter acquire, and you may not revoke it without the consent of the IRS. See also “— Original Issue Discount — Election to Treat All Interest as Original Issue Discount”.

Debt Securities Purchased with Market Discount

You will be treated as if you purchased your debt security, other than a short-term debt security, at a market discount, and your debt security will be a market discount debt security if:

If your debt security’s stated redemption price at maturity or, in the case of a discount debt security, its revised issue price, exceeds the price you paid for the debt security by less than 1/4 of 1 percent multiplied by the number of complete years to the debt security’s maturity, the excess constitutes de minimis market discount, and the rules discussed below are not applicable to you.

You must treat any gain you recognize on the maturity or disposition of your market discount debt security as ordinary income to the extent of the accrued market discount on your debt security. Alternatively, you may elect to include market discount in income currently over the life of your debt security. If you make this election, it will apply to all debt instruments with market discount that you acquire on or after the first day of the first taxable year to which the election applies. You may not revoke this election without the consent of the IRS. If you own a market discount debt security and do not make this election, you will generally be required to defer deductions for interest on borrowings allocable to your debt security in an amount not exceeding the accrued market discount on your debt security until the maturity or disposition of your debt security.

You will accrue market discount on your market discount debt security on a straight-line basis unless you elect to accrue market discount using a constant-yield method. If you make this election, it will apply only to the debt security with respect to which it is made and you may not revoke it.

Purchase, Sale and Retirement of the Debt Securities

Your tax basis in your debt security will generally be the U.S. dollar cost, as defined below, of your debt security, adjusted by:

If you purchase your debt security with foreign currency, the U.S. dollar cost of your debt security will generally be the U.S. dollar value of the purchase price on the date of purchase. However, if you are a cash basis taxpayer, or an accrual basis taxpayer if you so elect, and your debt security is traded on an established securities market, as defined in the applicable Treasury regulations, the U.S. dollar cost of your debt security will be the U.S. dollar value of the purchase price on the settlement date of your purchase.

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You will generally recognize gain or loss on the sale or retirement of your debt security equal to the difference between the amount you realize on the sale or retirement and your tax basis in your debt security. If your debt security is sold or retired for an amount in foreign currency, the amount you realize will be the U.S. dollar value of such amount on the date the debt security is disposed of or retired, except that in the case of a debt security that is traded on an established securities market, as defined in the applicable Treasury regulations, a cash basis taxpayer, or an accrual basis taxpayer that so elects, will determine the amount realized based on the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency on the settlement date of the sale.

You will recognize capital gain or loss when you sell or retire your debt security, except to the extent:

Capital gain of a noncorporate United States holder is generally taxed at preferential rates where the property is held for more than one year.

You must treat any portion of the gain or loss that you recognize on the sale or retirement of a debt security as United States source ordinary income or loss to the extent attributable to changes in exchange rates. However, you take exchange gain or loss into account only to the extent of the total gain or loss you realize on the transaction.

Exchange of Amounts in Other Than U.S. Dollars

If you receive foreign currency as interest on your debt security or on the sale or retirement of your debt security, your tax basis in the foreign currency will equal its U.S. dollar value when the interest is received or at the time of the sale or retirement. If you purchase foreign currency, you generally will have a tax basis equal to the U.S. dollar value of the foreign currency on the date of your purchase. If you sell or dispose of a foreign currency, including if you use it to purchase debt securities or exchange it for U.S. dollars, any gain or loss recognized generally will be ordinary income or loss.

Indexed Debt Securities, Exchangeable Debt Securities and Contingent Payment Debt Securities

An applicable supplement will discuss any special United States federal income tax rules with respect to debt securities the payments on which are determined by reference to any index, debt securities that are exchangeable at our option or the option of the holder into debt securities or equity, debt securities that are subject to the rules governing contingent payment obligations and debt securities that may not be classified as debt for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Treasury Regulations Requiring Disclosure of Reportable Transactions

Treasury regulations require United States taxpayers to report certain transactions that give rise to a loss in excess of certain thresholds (a “Reportable Transaction”). Under these regulations, if the debt securities are denominated in a foreign currency, a United States holder that recognizes a loss with respect to the debt securities that is characterized as an ordinary loss due to changes in currency exchange rates (under any of the rules discussed above) would be required to report the loss on IRS Form 8886 (Reportable Transaction Statement) if the loss exceeds the thresholds set forth in the regulations. For individuals and trusts, this loss threshold is $50,000 in any single taxable year. For other types of taxpayers and other types of losses, the thresholds are higher. You should consult with your tax advisor regarding any tax filing and reporting obligations that may apply in connection with acquiring, owning and disposing of debt securities.

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Other Considerations

Medicare Tax

Certain United States holders, including individuals, estates and trusts that do not fall into a special class of trusts that are exempt from such tax, are subject to a 3.8% Medicare tax on unearned income. For individual United States holders, the additional Medicare tax is on the lesser of (1) the United States holder’s “net investment income” for the relevant taxable year and (2) the excess of the United States holder’s modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year over a certain threshold (which in the case of individuals is between $125,000 and $250,000, depending on the individual’s circumstances). A United States holder’s net investment income generally includes its dividend or interest income and its net gains from the disposition of securities, unless such dividend or interest income or net gains are derived in the ordinary course of the conduct of a trade or business (other than a trade or business that consists of certain passive or trading activities). If you are a United States holder that is an individual, estate or trust, you are urged to consult your tax advisors regarding the applicability of the Medicare tax to your income and gains in respect of your investment in the securities.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Withholding

A 30% withholding tax will be imposed on certain payments to certain non-U.S. financial institutions that fail to comply with information reporting requirements or certification requirements in respect of their direct and indirect United States shareholders and/or United States accountholders. To avoid becoming subject to the 30% withholding tax on payments to them, we and other non-U.S. financial institutions may be required to report information to the IRS regarding the holders of securities and to withhold on a portion of payments under the securities to certain holders that fail to comply with the relevant information reporting requirements (or hold securities directly or indirectly through certain non-compliant intermediaries). However, such withholding will not apply to payments made before January 1, 2019. The rules for the implementation of this legislation have not yet been fully finalized, so it is impossible to determine at this time what impact, if any, this legislation will have on holders of the securities.

Information with Respect to Foreign Financial Assets

Owners of “specified foreign financial assets” with an aggregate value in excess of $50,000 (and in some circumstances a higher threshold) may be required to file an information report with respect to such assets with their tax returns. “Specified foreign financial assets” may include financial accounts maintained by foreign financial institutions, as well as the following, but only if they are held for investment and not held in accounts maintained by financial institutions: (i) stocks and securities issued by non-United States persons, (ii) financial instruments and contracts that have non-United States issuers or counterparties, and (iii) interests in foreign entities. The securities may be subject to these rules. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of this reporting requirement to their ownership of the securities.

Backup Withholding and Information Reporting

If you are a noncorporate United States holder, information reporting requirements, on IRS Form 1099, generally will apply to dividend payments on common stock and interest and principal payments on debt securities made to you within the United States, and the payment of proceeds to you from the sale of securities effected at a United States office of a broker.

Additionally, backup withholding may apply to such payments if you fail to comply with applicable certification requirements or are notified by the IRS that you have failed to report all interest and dividends required to be shown on your federal income tax returns.

Payment of the proceeds from the sale of securities effected at a foreign office of a broker generally will not be subject to information reporting or backup withholding. However, a sale effected at a foreign office of a

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broker could be subject to information reporting in the same manner as a sale within the United States (and in certain cases may be subject to backup withholding as well) if (i) the broker has certain connections to the United States, (ii) the proceeds or confirmation are sent to the United States or (iii) the sale has certain other specified connections with the United States.

You generally may obtain a refund of any amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules that exceed your income tax liability by filing a refund claim with the IRS.

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CANADIAN TAXATION

In the opinion of Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, our Canadian federal income tax counsel, the following summary describes the principal Canadian federal income tax considerations generally applicable to a purchaser who acquires securities, including entitlement to all payments thereunder, as a beneficial owner pursuant to this Offering and who, at all relevant times, for purposes of the application of the Income Tax Act (Canada) and the Income Tax Regulations (collectively, the “Tax Act”), (1) is not, and is not deemed to be, resident in Canada; (2) deals at arm’s length with us and with any transferee resident (or deemed to be resident) in Canada to whom the purchaser disposes of debt securities, (3) is not affiliated with us, (4) holds securities as capital property, (5) does not receive any payment of interest on the debt securities in respect of a debt or other obligation to pay an amount to a person with whom we do not deal at arm’s length, (6) does not use or hold the securities in a business carried on in Canada (a “Holder”), (7) does not enter into, with respect to its securities, a “derivative forward agreement” as defined in the Tax Act and (8) is not a “specified shareholder” of the Bank as defined in subsection 18(5) of the Tax Act or a non-resident person not dealing at arm’s length with such “specified shareholder”. Special rules, which are not discussed in this summary, may apply to a non-Canadian holder that is an insurer that carries on an insurance business in Canada and elsewhere.

This summary is based on the current provisions of the Tax Act and on counsel’s understanding of the current administrative policies and assessing practices of the Canada Revenue Agency published in writing prior to the date hereof. This summary takes into account all specific proposals to amend the Tax Act publicly announced by or on behalf of the Minister of Finance (Canada) prior to the date hereof (the “Proposed Amendments”) and assumes that all Proposed Amendments will be enacted in the form proposed. However, no assurances can be given that the Proposed Amendments will be enacted as proposed, or at all. This summary does not otherwise take into account or anticipate any changes in law or administrative policy or assessing practice whether by legislative, administrative or judicial action nor does it take into account tax legislation or considerations of any province, territory or foreign jurisdiction, which may differ from those discussed herein.

This summary is of a general nature only and is not, and is not intended to be, legal or tax advice in respect of any particular issuance of securities, the terms and conditions of which will be material to the Canadian federal income tax considerations with respect thereto. Canadian federal income tax considerations applicable to securities may be described more particularly when such securities are offered (and then only to the extent material) in a prospectus supplement or pricing supplement related thereto if they are not addressed by the comments following and, in that event, the following will be superseded thereby to the extent indicated in such prospectus supplement or pricing supplement. These Canadian federal income tax considerations may also be supplemented, amended and/or replaced in a prospectus supplement or pricing supplement based on the terms and conditions of the securities issued thereunder. If securities are otherwise issued without disclosure of Canadian federal income tax considerations, prospective purchasers of such securities should consult their own tax advisors.

This summary is of a general nature only and is not, and is not intended to be, legal or tax advice to any particular holder. This summary is not exhaustive of all Canadian federal income tax considerations. Accordingly, prospective purchasers of securities should consult their own tax advisors having regard to their own particular circumstances.

Currency Conversion

Generally, for purposes of the Tax Act, all amounts relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of the securities must be converted into Canadian dollars based on the exchange rates as determined in accordance with the Tax Act. The amounts subject to withholding tax and any capital gains or capital losses realized by a Holder may be affected by fluctuations in the Canadian / U.S. dollar exchange rate.

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Shares

Dividends on the Shares

Dividends paid or credited on the shares or deemed to be paid or credited on the shares to a Holder will be subject to Canadian non-resident withholding tax at the rate of 25%, subject to any reduction in the rate of withholding to which the Holder is entitled under any applicable income tax convention between Canada and the country in which the Holder is resident. For example, under the Canada-U.S. Income Tax Convention (1980) (the “Convention”), where dividends on the shares are considered to be paid to or derived by a Holder that is the beneficial owner of the dividends and a U.S. resident for the purposes of, and is entitled to benefits in accordance with, the provisions of the Convention, the applicable rate of Canadian non-resident withholding tax is generally reduced to 15%.