COVID-19 UPDATE FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO OF EVERLINK – March 25, 2020

Everlink continues to monitor news and information from Canadian and International health organizations, as well as our Provincial and Federal Governments, regarding coronavirus/COVID-19. The health and safety of our staff, clients and other partners remains a top priority at Everlink.

In response to the evolving COVID-19 situation, the Ontario Government has ordered the closure of all non-essential workplaces effective as of 11:59 pm on Tuesday, March 24^th, 2020.

Under this order, teleworking and online commerce are permitted at all times for all businesses.  Furthermore, certain essential workplaces, as specifically defined by the Government of Ontario (ontario.ca and press release), are not required to close. As it relates to the Canadian information technology (IT) and financial services industry, essential workplaces include:

• businesses engaged in providing or supporting Information Technology (IT) including online services, software products and related services, as well as the technical facilities such as data centres and other network facilities necessary for their operation and delivery,
• banking and activities related to credit intermediation; credit unions, and
• businesses that provide financial services including payment processing, the payroll division of any employer (as defined by the Employment Standards Act/Occupational Health and Safety Act), any entity whose operation is the administration of payroll, banks and credit unions.

As a participant of the Canadian financial services industry and provider of payment processing services and IT services to credit unions, banks and acquirers, Everlink falls into the category of “essential workplaces”, so is not materially impacted by the Ontario Government’s order. Nonetheless, Everlink can operate its business under its remote work policies, which, in an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our employees, partners and clients – as well as their families, Everlink initiated over a week ago, well before the Ontario Government issued this order.

We want to take this opportunity to assure our clients and partners that Everlink maintains a detailed Business Continuity Plan (BCP) designed to provide for (among other things) remote access and teleworking operations. As part of Everlink’s overall BCP, Everlink has defined and implemented protocols and practices associated to secure remote enablement to allow the organization to operate in a “business-as-usual” approach through secure distributed systems, remote capabilities, clear communication protocols, and validation of discovery and recovery processes. These plans and activities have been reviewed and validated both internally as well as with a third-party business continuity and security experts.

Finally, we also continue to monitor and communicate regularly with our facilities and service providers to align and coordinate our overall business continuity plans and practices.

Everlink recognizes the importance of maintaining continuity of communications with its clients and partners, particularly in these uncertain and evolving circumstances.  Everlink’s Account Management and Client Services teams (including Incident Management and National Client Support Centre) will continue to communicate with Everlink’s clients and partners via their established channels, including telephone and email, for all matters relating to the services provided by Everlink.

Here’s hoping the COVID-19 situation passes as quickly as possible and we can all return to normalcy.  That said, the reality is that we may be in this environment for some time, so I want to assure you Everlink is well positioned and organized to support continuity of critical service delivery.

Stay safe, and please call if you have any questions or concerns.

Mark Ripplinger
President & CEO
Everlink Payment Services Inc.