Energy Leaders Income Fund Closes Its $27.6 Million Initial Public Offering

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 18, 2012) - Harvest Portfolios Group Inc. (the "Manager") is pleased to announce that Energy Leaders Income Fund (the "Fund") (TSX:HEN.A) has completed today its initial public offering (the "Offering") of 2,300,000 Units at a price of $12.00 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $27,600,000.00. The Fund has granted the Agents an over-allotment option (the "Over-Allotment Option") exercisable in whole or in part for a period of 30 days following today's closing of the Offering.

Each Unit consists of one transferable trust unit ("Trust Unit") and one Trust Unit purchase warrant ("Warrant"). The Units will separate into Trust Units and Warrants upon the earlier of the closing of the Over-Allotment Option and the 30th day following the closing of the Offering. Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Trust Unit at the subscription price of $12.00 per Trust Unit at 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on and only on June 14, 2013 by notifying the Warrant Agent during the period between June 3, 2013 and 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on June 14, 2013.

The Units are now trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol HEN.A.

The Fund will invest in a portfolio (the "Portfolio") of equity securities of 15 Energy Issuers listed on a North American stock exchange that have the following characteristics: a market capitalization of at least $10 billion determined at the time of investment; are currently paying a dividend/distribution; are eligible to have options written on their equity securities; and operations and/or offices in at least two countries.

The Portfolio will be initially acquired and thereafter rebalanced quarterly on an equally weighted basis by Highstreet Asset Management Inc. (the "Investment Manager" or "Highstreet").

The indicative distribution amount is initially targeted to be $0.07 per Trust Unit per month ($0.84 per annum) representing an annual cash distribution of 7% based on the 12.00 per Unit issue price.

Highstreet will be responsible for the execution of the Fund's overall investment strategy, including managing the composition of the Portfolio.

The syndicate of agents was led by CIBC and co-led by RBC Capital Markets, and included Scotiabank, National Bank Financial Inc., TD Securities Inc., Canaccord Genuity Corp., Desjardins Securities Inc., GMP Securities L.P., Macquarie Private Wealth Inc., Raymond James Ltd., Burgeonvest Bick Securities Limited, Dundee Securities Ltd. and Industrial Alliance Securities Inc. (collectively, the "Agents").

Counsel on behalf of the Fund and the Manager is Borden Ladner Gervais LLP and counsel on behalf of the Agents is Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP.

Certain statements included in this news release constitute forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, those identified by the expressions "expect", "intend", "will" and similar expressions to the extent they relate to the Fund, the Manager and/or the Investment Manager. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect the Fund's, the Manager's and/or Investment Manager's current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. Although the Fund, the Manager and/or the Investment Manager believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and, accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. The Fund, the Manager and/or the Investment Manager undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statement or information whether as a result of new information, future events or other such factors which affect this information, except as required by law.

All capitalized terms noted herein but not defined are as defined in the Fund's prospectus dated April 27, 2012.

For additional information please contact your registered financial advisor.