TORONTO (July 3, 2026) – At its biannual meeting, ACTRA’s National Council unanimously voiced condemnation of the Bank of Montreal (BMO) and its ongoing national advertising campaign. The Council cites the financial giant’s relationship with TBWA\Canada, an advertising agency which remains part of a four-year lockout of unionized ACTRA performers. 

The Canadian bank’s long-running campaign – amplified greatly during the current FIFA World Cup – presents a cruel contradiction where BMO brands itself as a trusted Canadian institution and the “Official Bank of Canada Soccer”, while its advertising campaign is produced by an agency that continues to lock out ACTRA performers working under the National Commercial Agreement (NCA).

Adding to the union’s concerns is the campaign’s central spokesperson and character, “The BMO Guy,” a role portrayed by an American actor as opposed to one of Canada’s many talented professional performers. The character appears throughout the campaign wearing Team Canada colours and interacting alongside Canada’s national soccer stars – all while professional Canadian performers are barred from working on that very campaign.

“At a time when Canadians are encouraged to stand together, protect Canadian jobs, support Canadian workers, and prioritize Canadian business, one of our country’s most recognizable brands is wrapping itself in the maple leaf while hiring foreign labour instead of Canadians. To paraphrase the Prime Minister, this is ‘elbows way down’ for Canada,” said ACTRA National President Eleanor Noble.

ACTRA clarified that the blame lies solely with BMO and its agency of record TBWA but with a simple remedy: TBWA returning to the National Commercial Agreement and once again supporting the Canadian performers whose work has built this country’s commercial industry for more than 60 years – or – for BMO to move to a Canadian agency using ACTRA performers and truly support Canadians as they claim to publicly.

“As we celebrate Canada and the nation’s historic co-hosting of the FIFA World Cup, Canadians deserve to know that a campaign celebrating national pride is choosing to hire foreign labour to save a few bucks while Canadian workers – their very own customers – lose their livelihoods. This is little more than corporate sportswashing,” said ACTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Marie Kelly.  ACTRA is encouraging Canadians to “Give BMO a Red Card” by contacting the bank directly and voicing their concerns publicly on social media, urging BMO to encourage its advertising agency to return to the National Commercial Agreement or hire an agency that will keep good Canadian jobs in the country BMO claims to support.

About ACTRA:

The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) is the national union of professional performers working in recorded media in Canada. ACTRA represents the interests of more than 30,000 members across the country — the foundation of Canada’s highly acclaimed professional performing community.

ACTRA Media Contact: Carol Taverner, Public Relations Officer: ctaverner@actra.ca