TORONTO, Dec. 20 /CNW/ - Middlefield Group, on behalf of MINT Income Fund, announces that a special cash distribution will be paid on March 15, 2006 to holders of record as at the close of business on December 31, 2005. Subject to a final review of the Fund's 2005 taxable income in early 2006, it is expected that the special distribution will be $1.00 per Unit. By making all of the Fund's taxable income that has not yet been distributed payable to its Unitholders on December 31, 2005, this special cash distribution ensures that, as required by its Trust Agreement, the Fund will not be liable to pay income taxes in respect of its current taxation year ending December 31, 2005. This special distribution is necessitated by the successful performance of the Fund during 2005, which has been accompanied by significant realized capital gains. A Unitholder will be required to include the amount of the special distribution in income, most of which will be in the form of capital gains. MINT trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol MID.UN. December 20, 2005 This press release contains forward-looking information which is based on historical information. Actual future results, including the amount of the special distribution, may differ materially from the special distribution currently expected to be paid. The risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results are described under "Business Risk Assessment" in the Fund's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2004 and other documents filed by the Fund with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The forward-looking information contained in this press release constitutes the Fund's current estimate, as of the date of this press release, with respect to the matters covered hereby. Investors and others should not assume that any forward-looking statement contained in this press release represents the Fund's estimate as of any date other than the date of this press release.