MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - April 18, 2012) -

Editors' Note: There is a photo associated with this press release.

National Bank (TSX:NA) is proud to announce that professional tennis player Aleksandra Wozniak, ranked 57^th in the world, is the ambassador for On the Ball, our newly-named tennis ball recovery program, which was initially launched in 2006 and has since collected more than 500,000 used tennis balls. National Bank took advantage of her visit to École Le Carignan in Montreal North to donate 2,500 used balls to this educational institution.

"National Bank is pleased to be associated with Aleksandra, who is an exceptional world-class athlete. She is a positive role model and her involvement in the On the Ball program will be a source of inspiration to youth," remarked Lise-Anne Amyot, Senior Manager - Branding and Advertising, National Bank.

"I am very happy to have been selected as the ambassador for the On the Ball program. Education is very important to me. Talking to youth about my passion for tennis and about the ball recovery program - which was created to offer them a better learning environment - will hopefully encourage them to be at their best while playing sports and in the classroom," added Wozniak.

During her very first appearance as the ambassador for On the Ball, Aleksandra not only signed autographs, but also played a friendly match with students from the school. Over the next few months, Aleksandra will participate in several On the Ball activities in Quebec and Ontario.

Over the last six years, National Bank has contributed to improving learning environments for children by donating recovered tennis balls to various school boards and schools across Quebec. The balls are used to cover the feet of students' chairs. This initiative, which responds to a real need expressed by schools, seeks to reduce noise levels in classrooms and provide a learning environment that is more conducive to concentration. In addition to concretely helping to eliminate waste in the environment, the recovered tennis balls also improve the daily life of students and teachers.

The On the Ball program, already well-known in Quebec, was also launched in Ontario on April 14^th. The program team will be visiting tennis clubs across the province, but some school boards have already expressed interest in accepting recovered tennis balls.

To find out more about National Bank's involvement in the community, visit the Bank's social commitment portal at [ www.commitment.nationalbank.ca ], or consult its Social Responsibility Report at [ www.nbc.ca/socialresponsibility ].

About National Bank of Canada

National Bank of Canada is an integrated group that provides comprehensive financial services to consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises and large corporations in its core market, while offering specialized services to its clients elsewhere in the world. National Bank offers a full array of banking services, including retail, corporate and investment banking. It is an active player on international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, is involved in securities brokerage, insurance and wealth management as well as mutual fund and retirement plan management. As at January 31, 2012, National Bank has over CDN$175 billion in assets in accordance with IFRS and, together with its subsidiaries, employs 19,785 people. The Bank's securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:NA). For more information, visit the Bank's website at [ www.nbc.ca ]. To access National Bank of Canada's financial literacy portal, visit [ www.clearfacts.ca ].

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