Canadian Western Bank Donates More Than $421,000 to Support Local Mentoring Programs

EDMONTON, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Jan. 29, 2016) - Canadian Western Bank (TSX:CWB) (CWB) is pleased to donate $421,414 to Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) agencies across Western Canada thanks to its The Greater Interest GIC®. The 2015 campaign marked CWB's eighth year offering this unique investment product through which CWB has donated more than $2 million to children's charities since 2008.

"We're very proud to offer a product that benefits both our clients and our communities," said Keith Hughes, CWB's senior vice president of business and personal banking. "It's important to us that we provide relevant products that meet the needs of our clients, and to pair this with giving back to worthy causes within our communities is very rewarding."

The Greater Interest GIC, offered annually in September and October, gives clients the opportunity to invest in a guaranteed investment product with a competitive rate-of-return, while making a positive impact in local communities. Based on every dollar invested in The Greater Interest GIC, CWB makes a corporate donation to the local BBBS organization in the community where the investment was made. Clients have the option to choose from four rates based on terms ranging from 13 to 49 months.

"We're delighted to celebrate this incredible milestone of dedicated investment by Canadian Western Bank in our mentoring programs for youth all across Western Canada," said Peter Coleridge, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. "Their support over the years has created or sustained more than 4,000 mentoring relationships, and we are thankful to CWB, their employees and clients for helping young Canadians reach their full potential, and lead more productive and healthy lives."

About Canadian Western Bank Group

Canadian Western Bank offers a full range of business and personal banking services across the four western provinces and is the largest publicly traded Canadian bank headquartered in Western Canada. The Bank, along with its material operating affiliates, National Leasing Group, Canadian Western Trust, Canadian Western Financial, Adroit Investment Management, and McLean & Partners Wealth Management, collectively offer a diversified range of financial services across Canada and are together known as the CWB Group. The common shares of Canadian Western Bank are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "CWB". The Bank's Series 5 Preferred Shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the trading symbol "CWB.PR.B". Refer to www.cwb.com for additional information.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada

For more than one hundred years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been making a positive difference in the lives of Canada's youth by developing and implementing a wide range of mentoring programs. Serving as role models, volunteer mentors teach by example the importance of giving and giving back, of staying in school, and of having respect for family peers and community. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada provides quality mentoring services for more than 42,000 children and teenagers. Big Brothers Big Sisters currently has over 36,000 volunteer mentors working at 115 agencies that serve children in over 1,100 communities across the country. Learn how you can start something at bigbrothersbigsisters.ca.