Holiday Poll finds that 85 per cent of Atlantic Canada residents are
    giving gifts to a charity this holiday season

    HALIFAX, Dec. 21 /CNW/ - At a time of year when people are looking
forward to gifts and indulgences, Scotiabank's 2007 Holiday Poll reveals that
73 per cent of Canadians are also planning to make a personal donation to
charity this holiday season.
    "It's great to see that, for many Canadians, getting caught up in the
spirit of the season includes setting aside part of their gift giving budget
to remember community organizations that need help all year round. Supporting
the organizations and the communities in which we live and work is a
commitment that Scotiabank shares," said John Oliver, Scotiabank Senior
Vice-President, Atlantic Region. "Through our philanthropic sponsorships and
donations, we are committed to enriching the lives of people and charitable
organizations in our communities."
    Residents in the Atlantic provinces ranked highest among those who
indicated they will make a personal donation to a charity this holiday season,
followed closely by residents in Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, the Prairies and
B.C. However, the majority (83 %) of Canadians are not planning to make a
charitable donation in lieu of giving a gift to those on their holiday gift
list.Canadian  Atlantic  Quebec  Ontario  Prairie  Alberta   B.C.
                  Total %     %         %       %        %        %        %
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Definitely will  52       61       50       54       55       51      47
    Probably will    21       24       25       21       13       20      19
    Will donate
     (net)           73       85       75       75       68       71      66
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Holiday Poll also found that women (77%) are more likely than men
(69%) to say they will donate to charity this holiday season. Canadians who
are 35 years or older are more likely to say they will give whereas younger
Canadians tend to be more undecided.
    "Contributions to charitable organizations extend beyond writing a cheque
and aren't limited to the holidays either. It's important to recognize the
annual commitment made by volunteers who help power community organizations
throughout Atlantic Canada and across the country," added Mr. Oliver. "At
Scotiabank, our employees help extend our spirit of community giving even
further by volunteering their time and skills to support community causes that
are important to them, their friends, family and customers."
    Scotiabank supports a number of local community organizations and causes
which reflect what is important to customers, employees and shareholders. The
following are a few of the many charities that Scotiabank and its employees
have supported over fiscal 2007 within the Atlantic provinces. This is not an
inclusive list, but represents the broad-base of important local initiatives
that Scotiabank is proud to support:

    Nova Scotia:

    -   Abilities Foundation
    -   Art Gallery of Nova Scotia
    -   Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Halifax & Dartmouth
    -   Bosom Buddies of Nova Scotia, Atlantic Team
    -   Canadian Cancer Society of Nova Scotia
    -   Canadian National Institute for the Blind
    -   Cobequid Health Care Centre
    -   Colchester Regional Hospital Foundation
    -   Dalhousie University
    -   Hants Aquatic Centre
    -   IWK Children's Hospital
    -   Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia
    -   Mount Saint Vincent University
    -   Nova Scotia College of Art & Design (NSCAD)
    -   Pier 21 Society - Scotiabank Research Centre
    -   Provincial Autism Centre
    -   Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre Foundation
    -   St. Martha's Regional Hospital
    -   St. Francis Xavier University - Coady International Institute
    -   Terry Fox Foundation - Halifax
    -   United Way of Halifax-Dartmouth

    Newfoundland:

    -   Big Brothers/Big Sisters
    -   Canadian Cancer Society
    -   Cape 2 Cabot 20K Race
    -   Children's Wish Foundation
    -   College of the North Atlantic
    -   Crohns and Colitis Foundation
    -   Easter Seals House
    -   Janeway Children's Hospital
    -   Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion
    -   Ride for Dad

    New Brunswick:

    -   Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life
    -   Canadian Mental Health Association
    -   Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)
    -   Carlton Manor Foundation
    -   Chalmer's Hospital Foundation
    -   Community Kitchen, Fredericton
    -   Dragon Boat
    -   Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick
    -   Mirimachi Regional Hospital Foundation
    -   Moncton Headstart
    -   Moncton Hospital Foundation
    -   Portage Atlantic
    -   Rick Hansen Wheels In Motion
    -   Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation
    -   St. Joseph's Hospital
    -   Symphony New Brunswick

    Prince Edward Island:

    -   Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life
    -   Junior Achievement of Prince Edward Island
    -   Prince County Hospital Foundation
    -   PEI Food Bank
    -   Queen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation, Charlottetown
    -   Tour de PEI - World Cup Cycling OrganizationThis study was conducted for Scotiabank using Decima's teleVox panel.
Data collection was conducted via CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone
Interviewing). A total of 774 interviews were completed between December 7 and
10, 2007. A random sample was generated for the month of December and quotas
were established by each region. The quotas were instilled to maintain an
adequate number of completed interviews in Canada's three largest markets:
Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal. Final data are weighted by age and sex within
region and are considered accurate to within +/- 3.5 percentage points,
19 times out of 20.

    Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live
and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally
and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic
activities, in 2007 the Bank provided more than $43 million in sponsorships
and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas
of healthcare, education, social services and arts and culture. Scotiabank is
on the World Wide Web at www.scotiabank.com.