COGNICASE: Ontario/Quebec Blue Cross Increases Financial Services Offering via Internet and Wireless Through Strategic Partnership With COGNICASE.

Business Editors & Telecommunications Writers

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 21, 2000

COGNICASE(NASDAQ:COGI)(TSE:COG.)--Ontario Blue Cross/Quebec Blue Cross and COGNICASE Inc. (NASDAQ: COGI) have reached an agreement in principle under which COGNICASE will become the exclusive information technology supplier to Ontario Blue Cross/Quebec Blue Cross for a 10-year period.

For COGNICASE, this strategic partnership represents an estimated $100 million in revenues for the 10-year period. COGNICASE will manage Blue Cross' Internet/Web strategy, the development of applications enabling the sale of insurance products via Internet and wireless, the evolution of IT applications, as well as Blue Cross' IT infrastructure, including its data/voice transmission network. COGNICASE also acquires Blue Cross' IT assets and related intellectual property.

"We are proud to have COGNICASE as a strategic partner to efficiently manage our information technology needs. COGNICASE will leverage our insurance products by supporting them with efficient e-business applications. In addition, we will become a customer of COGNICASE's procurement portal in order to reduce the costs of the products and services we purchase, as well as the cost of procurement transactions," said Claude Boivin, President and Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Blue Cross/Quebec Blue Cross.

"This strategic partnership with Blue Cross allows COGNICASE to acquire the technological platforms and software needed to support the sale of financial products via Internet and wireless, and to market e-financial services in the U.S. What's more, we will leverage the technologies of COGNICASE Internet Technologies (CIT) - such as eMP-Apps, "Watch 4 me 7/24" and the Personal Portal - in respect of the financial services that Blue Cross offers its clients," said Ronald Brisebois, President and Chief Executive Officer of COGNICASE.

"This partnership will result in significant synergies and enable us to substantially grow our financial services technologies and software based on the Internet and wireless. This will allow us to rapidly introduce a comprehensive, leading-edge offering for the banking and insurance sector in the U.S. market," added Mr. Brisebois.

About Blue Cross

Founded in 1942, Blue Cross of Ontario and Quebec is a leading provider of individual and group healthcare insurance, travel insurance and assistance. Its mission is to anticipate the needs of Quebecers and Ontarians by offering distinctive, high quality products and services. The company has premium income of $211 million and assets of $173 million. With 425 employees and offices in Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City, Blue Cross strives to maintain superior service standards based on the development of its human resources.

About COGNICASE

COGNICASE is among the leading North American e-business integrators and solutions providers, with offices in several major North American and European business centers. Based on its results-driven approach, Internet software technologies, international IT engineering/hosting center and critical mass of business and technology expertise, COGNICASE offers innovative solutions that contribute to the business success of its customers in the digital economy. Our solutions include: turnkey e-business solutions including portal development and evolution, e-services software and solutions, re-engineering of existing applications for e-business, technology configuration management, as well as project management and business process improvement consulting services.

The mission of COGNICASE INTERNET TECHNOLOGIES (CIT), a COGNICASE business unit, is to deliver "smart information on demand" by developing leading-edge Internet and wireless software solutions. It capitalizes on COGNICASE's Internet products, re-engineering technologies and search engines based on rules and fuzzy logic, and using JAVA and XML.

The mission of COGNICASE INTERNET INNOVATIONS (CII), a COGNICASE business unit, is to accelerate the creation, start-up and development of new Internet companies (dot-coms) and portals offering state-of-the-art solutions. Backed by the power of the Internet, and the most reliable, flexible and advanced technologies and functionalities, CII allows optimal development of integrated business solutions that are adapted to the specific needs of each industry. CII is a business unit of COGNICASE.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (US), which involve risks and uncertainties. As a result of a number of factors, including factors that COGNICASE may not currently foresee, COGNICASE's actual results could differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.

Certain other factors that might cause the COGNICASE's actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements include the COGNICASE's ability to (i) successfully develop additional products and services and new applications for its existing products and services and otherwise respond to rapid changes in technology, (ii) successfully compete in its industry for customers and developers and other personnel with expertise in information technology, (iii) successfully identify and consummate acquisitions on favorable terms and integrate acquired businesses, (iv) successfully manage its growth and changing business, as well as those factors set forth under the heading "Risk and Risk Management" in its 1999 annual report. Other risk factors relating to this press release include the ability of COGNICASE to negotiate and finalize the definitive agreements related to the transaction described herein, the possible cancellation of such definitive agreements before the end of their expected duration, and a possible reduction in the needs of COGNICASE's customer for IT services over the period of such agreement.