Canada’s big banks have announced donations to the hurricane Katrina disaster relief effort.

CIBC today announced a corporate donation of $150,000. The funds will be donated to the Red Cross and will assist in providing relief support such as food, clean water, shelter materials and blankets to those most impacted by the hurricane.

CIBC will also accept donations, in support of the relief efforts, from its clients at all of its branches across Canada starting on Tuesday, September 6.

Bank of Nova Scotia today announced it will contribute $250,000 (US$210,400) toward Katrina relief efforts.

The contribution to the Canadian Red Cross includes a corporate donation of $100,000, plus matching funds of up to $150,000 for Scotiabank employee donations. The bank is also opening its Canadian branch network to customers contributions.

Last year, Scotiabank contributed $754,740 (US$592,765) toward Caribbean relief efforts in the aftermath of hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.

Yesterday, RBC Financial Group, announced a $250,000 donation to the Red Cross relief fund to support communities on the U.S. Gulf Coast affected by hurricane Katrina. It too is accepting donations to the relief fund from the general public at all of its branches across Canada, as well as RBC Centura branches in the U.S. Southeast.

“We have a long-standing tradition of responding when communities are in need, and on behalf of our clients and employees across Canada and the United States, we are proud to support the relief effort with a donation,” said Gordon Nixon, president and CEO of RBC Financial Group.

In addition to the corporate donation of $125,000, RBC will match its employees’ individual contributions up to another $125,000.

BMO Financial Group announced that it will donate up to $440,000 to support relief efforts.

In Canada, BMO will make a corporate contribution to the Canadian Red Cross of $100,000 and match its employee and customer contributions to the Canadian Red Cross, up to $100,000, for a total corporate donation of $200,000.

In the U.S., BMO Financial Group’s Chicago-based subsidiary, Harris, will make a corporate contribution of US$100,000 to the United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Hurricane Katrina Response Fund and match its employees’ and customers’ contributions to the fund, up to US$100,000, for a total Harris donation of US$200,000 (Cdn$240,000).

Bank of Montreal branches across the Canada will begin accepting donations September 6 on behalf of the Red Cross Hurricane Katrina Relief fund.

TD Bank Financial Group has committed US$250,000 to support the cleanup and relief efforts. The funds will be donated through the Red Cross.

In addition to a corporate donation of US$125,000, TD will match its employees’ individual contributions to hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, up to another US$125,000. TD’s employee matching component will also be donated through the Red Cross.

“The wake of hurricane Katrina has clearly been devastating and our thoughts and sympathies are with the people who have been impacted,” said Fred Tomczyk, vice chair, TD Bank Financial Group. “As the extensive recovery work continues, we hope this donation on behalf of our employees and customers will assist these efforts.”