TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 02/15/12 -- (TSX: XAL)(TSX: XBB)(TSX: XBM)(TSX: XBZ)(TSX: XCB)(TSX: XCG)(TSX: XCH)(TSX: XCR)(TSX: XCS)(TSX: XCV)(TSX: XDV)(TSX: XEB)(TSX: XEG)(TSX: XEI)(TSX: XEM)(TSX: XEN)(TSX: XFN)(TSX: XFR)(TSX: XGB)(TSX: XGC)(TSX: XGD)(TSX: XGR)(TSX: XHB)(TSX: XHC)(TSX: XHY)(TSX: XIC)(TSX: XID)(TSX: XIG)(TSX: XIN)(TSX: XIT)(TSX: XIU)(TSX: XLA)(TSX: XLB)(TSX: XMA)(TSX: XMD)(TSX: XPF)(TSX: XQQ)(TSX: XRB)(TSX: XRE)(TSX: XSB)(TSX: XSH)(TSX: XSP)(TSX: XST)(TSX: XSU)(TSX: XTR)(TSX: XUT)(TSX: XVX)(TSX: XWD)

BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited, an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK), announced today that the tax characteristics for all 2011 distributions for the iShares Funds have been finalized and provided to CDS Clearing and Depository Services Inc. (CDS) for use by brokers in preparing tax reports, including T3 slips, for their clients. This information replaces any estimated tax characteristics that were provided periodically by BlackRock Canada during 2011 to help investors in iShares Funds with preliminary tax planning.

The "per unit" tax characteristics for iShares Funds 2011 distributions are summarized below. A more detailed listing of tax characteristics by individual distribution period will be available shortly at www.ishares.ca (and have been provided to CDS as noted above). For more information about the tax efficiency of iShares Funds, please visit www.ishares.ca.

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                   Non
                 Eligi
                   ble                    Return                       Total
        Eligible Divid    Other Capital       of  Foreign   Foreign  Distrib
Ticker Dividends  ends   Income   Gains  Capital   Income  Tax Paid    ution
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XAL                     0.05208 0.33527  0.02550  1.05269  -0.00910  1.45644
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XBB                     1.10002          0.02286                     1.12288
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XBM      0.01606                         0.04651  0.06403  -0.00622  0.12038
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XBZ                                      0.02326  0.39054  -0.06266  0.35114
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XCB                     0.89011          0.01103                     0.90114
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XCG      0.08684                0.08233                              0.16917
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XCH                                      0.00547  0.31398  -0.05025  0.26920
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XCR                     0.42241 0.56956  0.00740  0.42360  -0.00135  1.42162
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XCS      0.22921                0.81738  0.01730                     1.06389
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XCV      0.57926                0.22900  0.06919                     0.87745
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XDV      0.71049                0.21790  0.10091                     1.02930
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XEB                                      0.04666  0.65125  -0.09826  0.59965
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XEG      0.23289                         0.07387                     0.30676
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XEI      0.40065                0.04342  0.12265                     0.56672
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XEM                             0.00753  0.02750  0.43594  -0.06874  0.40223
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XEN      0.31291                         0.06805                     0.38096
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XFN      0.66708                0.05327  0.07636                     0.79671
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XFR                     0.00621          0.00379                     0.01000
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XGB                     0.66044          0.02856                     0.68900
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XGC                             0.12540  0.02299  0.82653  -0.03492  0.94000
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XGD                             0.25845                              0.25845
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XGR                     0.22109 0.38415  0.01255  0.59724  -0.00958  1.20545
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XHB                     1.04185          0.06311                     1.10496
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XHC                                      0.15330  0.25431  -0.03974  0.36787
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XHY                                      0.02762  1.50421  -0.00949  1.52234
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XIC      0.43519                0.00215  0.02392                     0.46126
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XID                                      0.00243  0.07754  -0.01411  0.06586
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XIG                                      0.02055  0.90772  -0.02284  0.90543
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XIN                                      0.01809  0.48562  -0.07689  0.42682
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XIT                                                                  0.00000
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XIU      0.37833                         0.06398                     0.44231
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XLA                                      0.00230  0.54202  -0.08524  0.45908
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XLB                     0.87208 0.07159  0.02925                     0.97292
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XMA                             0.16319                              0.16319
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XMD      0.38511                         0.04412                     0.42923
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XPF      0.44640                         0.08143  0.55512  -0.04182  1.04113
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XQQ                                      0.01268  0.07305  -0.01757  0.06816
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XRB                     0.92049 0.01809  0.01013                     0.94871
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XRE      0.01143        0.23659 0.40111  0.06561  0.02372            0.73846
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XSB                     0.92637          0.00676                     0.93313
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XSH                     0.13412          0.05178                     0.18590
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XSP                                      0.01079  0.26866  -0.04388  0.23557
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XST      0.08016                0.04412                              0.12428
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XSU                                      0.00890  0.21530  -0.03615  0.18805
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XTR      0.11556        0.26376          0.28404  0.05664            0.72000
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XUT      0.40806                0.01832  0.17426                     0.60064
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XVX                                                                  0.00000
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XWD                                      0.04434  0.48519  -0.07904  0.45049
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Further information on iShares Funds can be found at www.ishares.ca.

About BlackRock

BlackRock is a leader in investment management, risk management and advisory services for institutional and retail clients worldwide. At December 31, 2011, BlackRock's AUM was US $3.513 trillion. BlackRock offers products that span the risk spectrum to meet clients' needs, including active, enhanced and index strategies across markets and asset classes. Products are offered in a variety of structures including separate accounts, mutual funds, iShares® (exchange-traded funds), and other pooled investment vehicles. BlackRock also offers risk management, advisory and enterprise investment system services to a broad base of institutional investors through BlackRock Solutions®. Headquartered in New York City, as of December 31, 2011, the firm has approximately 10,100 employees in 27 countries and a major presence in key global markets, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East and Africa. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.blackrock.com.

About iShares® ETFs

The iShares business is a global product leader in ETFs with over 460 funds globally across equities, fixed income and commodities, which trade on 19 exchanges worldwide. The iShares funds are bought and sold like common stocks on securities exchanges. The iShares funds are attractive to many individual and institutional investors and financial intermediaries because of their relative low cost, tax efficiency and trading flexibility. Investors can purchase and sell securities through any brokerage firm, financial advisor, or online broker, and hold the funds in any type of brokerage account. The iShares customer base consists of the institutional segment of pension plans and fund managers, as well as the retail segment of financial advisors.