KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Canada - Wednesday, July 10, 1996 - The Bridges Initiatives Inc. (ASE:BIT), one of Canada's foremost providers of career and life skills information via the World Wide Web, today announced the signing of sales, marketing and distribution agreements with four U.S. educational software distributors: Learning Services of Eugene, Or., Ogden & Associates of Detroit, MI., Advanced Data Support Systems, Inc. (ADSS) of Bakersfield, CA., and Finamore & Associates of Longwood, FL. Through these agreements, each U.S. distribution partner has secured a licence to market, sell and distribute the Career Explorer Online service to the education and library markets within the United States.

"The signing of these agreements is an important step forward for our Company," said Doug Manning, Bridges President and CEO. "Learning Services is a leading U.S. national distributor of educational products. Ogden, ADSS, and Finamore have well established educational sales networks in regions we have targeted for initial American market penetration. As previously stated to our shareholders, we are signing and training distributors this summer in preparation for September sales in the U.S."

The Career Explorer OnlineÔ information service, available on the Internet at http://careerexplorer.com, features up-to-date resources that help young people and adults in transition prepare for the future. Updated daily, the online service has sixteen different types of articles to view all focused on career development, self-assessment, skill development and the labor markets. The online service provides the most current information about emerging employment opportunities and the necessary skills required to access the opportunities.

Headquartered in Eugene, Oregon, Learning Services (http://www.learnserv.com) is the second largest distributor of technology solutions for the U.S. education market. Founded in 1982, Learning Services' partners list includes a number of educational software publishers such as Microsoft, Claris Corp., Symantec, Adobe, The Learning Company and Broderbund. The company has over 50 employees serving the K-12 education market across the United States.

Advanced Data Support Systems, Inc. (ADSS) has been providing technology products and support services for Central California educational institutions since 1978. With offices in Bakersfield and Fresno, ADSS is focused on meeting the technology needs of the K-12 education market in central California. The company provides a broad range of computer hardware, software and curriculum products aimed at helping California schools and school districts achieve the goals and objectives placed upon them by the community, state and federal agencies.