Steven Sharpe Joins C.A. Bancorp Inc.’s Board of Directors

TORONTO, ONTARIO (December 12, 2011):C.A. Bancorp Inc. (“C.A. Bancorp” or the “Company”) (TSX: BKP) and the board of directors (the “Board”) are pleased to announce the appointment of Steven Sharpe as a director of the Company.

Mr. Sharpe is currently Managing Director of The EmBeSa Corporation, a private consultancy dealing primarily with corporate restructuring and business strategy. Previously, Mr. Sharpe was Senior Advisor to Blair Franklin Capital Partners Inc., a Toronto-based investment bank which he co-founded, and was the Chairman and CEO of the Prime Restaurants Royalty Income Fund. From 2002 to 2007, Mr. Sharpe was co-Managing Partner of Blair Franklin. From 1998 to 2001, Mr. Sharpe held executive operating positions in both Canada and the US. A lawyer by training, Mr. Sharpe graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1977, was called to the Ontario bar in 1979 and spent his legal career at the Torys firm from 1979 to 1986, and Davies, Ward & Beck from 1986 to 1998.

Currently, Mr. Sharpe is the Chairman of Advantage Oil & Gas Ltd., Longview Oil Corp. and Prime Restaurants Inc., all of which trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Mr. Sharpe has significant board experience in the not-for-profit and corporate spheres. “Steven brings extensive experience as a lawyer, banker, and operating executive to the Board and has created significant value for shareholders of a number of companies that he’s previously been involved with, including most recently, as Chairman of the Special Committee of Prime Restaurants Inc.,” said Paul Haggis, Chairman of the Board. “We are pleased to have Steven join the Board as the Company continues to execute its Realization Strategy and maximize the value of C.A. Bancorp for the benefit of all of its shareholders.”

At the Company’s last annual and special meeting, the shareholders approved fixing the numbers of directors at four. Mr. Sharpe’s appointment fills a vacant position. The Board is now comprised of four directors, Paul Haggis (Chair), Frank Potter, Steven Sharpe and Tim Unwin.

C.A. Bancorp Inc.

C.A. Bancorp is a publicly traded Canadian merchant bank and alternative asset manager that provides investors with access to a range of private equity and other alternative asset class investment opportunities. C.A. Bancorp has historically focused on investments in small- and middle-capitalization public and private companies, with emphasis on the industrials, real estate, infrastructure and financial services sectors. The Company is currently executing its Realization Strategy as described in its publicly filed continuous disclosure documents.

More Information

Kurt Brands, Chief Executive Officer
Tel: 1-866-388-5985
Fax: 416-861-8166
info@cabancorp.com www.cabancorp.com

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “should”, “plans” or “continue” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, there can be no assurance of any kind that the Realization Strategy will yield a value equal or close to the net book value per Company common share. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Reference should be made to the risk factors in the Company’s Annual Information Form, in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2010 and the quarter ended September 30, 2011 and in the Directors’ Circular dated June 4, 2010 and in our other filings with Canadian securities regulators. Additional important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, among other things, general economic and market factors, competition, interest rates, tax related matters, loss of personnel, reliance on key personnel, ability of the Company to generate positive future returns for investors, ability of the Company to execute the Realization Strategy or any alternative strategy; Company’s success in preserving capital, managing debt, maintaining liquidity and managing operating costs. This news release makes reference to the net book value per share which is a non-GAAP financial measure. The Company calculates the net book value per share as it believes it to be an important metric that shareholders use and frequently request and refer to because shareholders often view the Company as an holding company of investments in private entities. Net book value is a non-GAAP financial measure that does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by Canadian GAAP and therefore it is unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. This classification is not a Canadian GAAP measure and should not be considered either in isolation of, or as a substitute for, measures prepared in accordance with Canadian GAAP.

Cautionary Statement Regarding the Valuation of Investments in Private Entities

In the absence of an active market for its investments in private entities, fair values are determined by management using the appropriate valuation methodologies after considering the history and nature of the business, operating results and financial conditions, the outlook and prospects, the general economic, industry and market conditions, capital market and transaction market conditions, contractual rights relating to the investment, public market comparables, private market transactions multiples and, where applicable, other pertinent considerations. The process of valuing investments for which no active market exists is inevitably based on inherent uncertainties and the resulting values may differ from values that would have been used had an active market existed. The amounts at which the Company's investments in private entities could be disposed of may differ from the fair value assigned and the differences could be material. Estimated costs of disposition are not included in the fair value determination.