National Bank Opts for the BCE Emergis Solution for Processing Mortgage Mandates.

Business Editors

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 5, 2002

BCE (TSX:IFM):

All NBC Branches in Quebec to be Connected to the

Emergis(R) e-Lending Interchange by December 31, 2002

Thanks to the Emergis(R) e-Lending Interchange, Quebec notaries will soon be able to receive their mortgage requests electronically from any Quebec branch of the National Bank of Canada. This partnership, welcomed by the Chambre des notaires du Quebec and the Association professionnelle des notaires du Quebec (APNQ), will speed up the processing of mandates, cut back on travelling for notaries and simplify communications by authorizing, among other features, secure electronic signature.

BCE Emergis (TSX:IFM) and the National Bank of Canada, in conjunction with the Chambre des notaires and the APNQ, have joined forces to deploy the electronic platform in the 500-plus Quebec branches of the National Bank of Canada. This deployment is proceeding smoothly and will be completed by December 31, 2002.

"Emergis(R) e-Lending Interchange is a powerful and secure electronic tool that was developed to meet the needs expressed by all players in the real estate industry," says Rene Poirier, President, BCE Emergis - Canada. "The agreement reached with the National Bank of Canada testifies to the financial sector's confidence in BCE Emergis electronic solutions and the value it places on them."

The Emergis(R) e-Lending Interchange allows real-time, electronic processing at every step in a mortgage transaction, from data entry in the mortgage lender's office to the final guarantee of the loan. The interchanges are made seamlessly, with the platform ensuring the translation of all software formats.

"This new, faster and more efficient electronic real estate platform considerably reduces paperwork and the risk of transcription errors. As a result, branch personnel have more time to meet the needs of their clients," says Jean Blouin, Vice-president, Credit and Investment Solutions at the National Bank.

Launched in spring 2002, the Emergis(R) e-Lending Interchange has been adopted by more than 1,000 notaries in Quebec. "The BCE Emergis platform integrates a digital signature feature, that enables the notary to conduct a transaction electronically, without compromising security or confidentiality," explains Denis Marsolais, President of the Chambre des notaires du Quebec.

"This agreement will fundamentally change the way things are done within the profession. It is not only evidence of the collaboration that has been established between notaries and lenders, but also contributes to a revival of the profession and its dynamic nature by facilitating the closing of on-line real estate transactions," says Vimont Dupuis, President of the APNQ.

About National Bank of Canada

The National Bank of Canada is an integrated group that provides complete financial services to its private clientele, SMEs and major corporations in its main market, as well as specialized services to its other clients around the world. The National Bank offers a full range of banking services, including those designed for large corporations, as well as all the services of an investment bank. The Bank is active in international capital markets and, through its subsidiaries, in securities brokering, insurance and wealth management, as well as the management of mutual funds and pension plans. The National Bank has assets exceeding $75 billion and, with its subsidiaries, a workforce of more than17,000 employees. Its shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

About BCE Emergis

BCE Emergis provides eBusiness services that accelerate the revenue and payment cycles of its customers. With a focus on transaction-intensive health and financial services, BCE Emergis executes more than one billion billing, claims processing, payment, and related document exchange transactions annually. The Company offers network-centric Internet solutions that integrate and streamline processes between business partners and their banks as they move toward financial settlement of their business activities, improving both their cash flow and operating costs. BCE Emergis customers include 15 leading North American health insurers, three of the top five U.S. banks, five of the top six Canadian banks, and a number of North America's largest enterprises. The Company's shares (TSX: IFM) are included in the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

This news release contains forward-looking statements, which are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Actual results and events may vary significantly. Factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: uncertainty as to whether BCE Emergis' strategies will yield the expected benefits and growth prospects, the current uncertainty in North American economic conditions, competitive conditions, the fluctuation in the currency exchange rates between the Canadian and U.S. dollar, BCE Emergis' ability to drive recurring revenue and expand its operations in the United States particularly in the health and financial sectors, the extent of eCommerce adoption as well as the adoption rate by its customers of its services and the ability to integrate efficiently new acquisitions. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see the Annual Information Form and Annual Report (Management Discussion and Analysis) of the Company filed with Canadian securities commissions. THE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE REPRESENT BCE EMERGIS EXPECTATIONS AS AT DECEMBER 5, 2002 AND, ACCORDINGLY, ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. HOWEVER BCE EMERGIS DISCLAIMS ANY INTENTION OR OBLIGATION TO UPDATE OR REVISE ANY FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW INFORMATION, FUTURE EVENTS OR OTHERWISE.