Launch Of NEX Provides Unique Trading Forum For Junior Companies - NEX Means That TSX Venture Exchange Stock List Now Comprised Solely Of Companies Actively Carrying On Business And Working To Create Shareholder Value

Beginning today, Monday, August 18, the NEX board is now available for companies that have fallen below the TSX Venture Exchange's ongoing listing standards. "The creation of the NEX is being undertaken by TSX Venture to foster better and more visible differentiation among TSX Venture's listed companies for all market participants," said Linda Hohol, President of TSX Venture Exchange. "NEX helps investors and active listed companies, by raising the overall quality of the main TSX Venture stock list. It also helps companies no longer carrying on an active business by making it easier for potential financial backers and business partners to identify reactivation candidates."

Going forward, the main TSX Venture stock list is now comprised solely of companies which are actively carrying on business and working to create shareholder value. NEX provides a unique trading forum for companies without an active business while they seek opportunities to refinance, reactivate or reinvent themselves. By separating companies with active and inactive businesses, NEX will make it easier for investors to identify companies appropriate to their investment profile.

On TSX Venture Exchange, listed companies that fall below the Exchange's ongoing listing standards are currently designated as "inactive" companies, and given 18 months to meet the standards, failing which, the company is delisted. Going forward, these inactive companies will be removed from the main TSX Venture stock list as soon as they fall below listings standards. NEX provides a home for these companies and allows them to trade in an environment specially designed for inactive companies.

NEX is a natural extension of TSX Group service offerings for junior companies. It demonstrates TSX Group's (TSX-X) commitment to providing a home for the smallest to the largest Canadian public issuers and between Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange and NEX, TSX Group provides a seamless system facilitating the raising of capital for companies at every stage of development

For many emerging companies, the growth curve involves varying combinations of financing, activation, reinvention, refinancing and reactivation. The process of venture funding is absolutely vital to the Canadian economy and to the future of our country's global competitiveness. TSX Venture Exchange Senior Vice-President Kevan Cowan says, "NEX provides a valuable contribution to the process of capital formation for emerging companies. The nature of growth companies and venture funding is that many don't achieve their objectives with their first attempt. NEX has been designed as a place with simplified rules where companies can trade while they seek additional funding to pursue their business plans or reinvent themselves."

For more information on NEX, issuers and investors visit www.tsx.com and click on the NEX button on the home page, call 1-866-344-5639 or email NEX@tsxventure.com.