BMO Capital Markets, the investment and corporate banking arm of Bank of Montreal, is donating a day’s worth of institutional equity trading commissions among 10 charities that provide financial assistance to disadvantaged students.

The firm’s annual initiative generated $1.6 million on Wednesday from its collective trading activities in Canada, the U.S., and Europe. The funds will go to charities that aim to enhance access to education through scholarships, bursaries and other academic programs.

This year’s list of recipients includes Women in Capital Markets’ Return to Bay Street Program, The Financial Women’s Association, and The Jackie Robinson Foundation, among others.

“Equity Through Education allows bright and deserving students – those who may not have had the opportunity otherwise — to reach their full potential,” says Alan Tannenbaum, managing director and co-head of global equity products at BMO, in a news release.

“BMO is committed to supporting charities focused on education and student success across North America and Europe, helping to promote diversity in the workplace,” he adds.

The program has raised $17.9 million since it was launched in 2005, BMO Capital Markets says, and more than 3,000 students have been helped as a result.

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