Update to our community and partners regarding COVID-19

The COVID-19 situation is evolving quickly, and we’re working to respond in real time as new information and developments related to this outbreak become available. In the meantime, the health and safety of our employees and customers continues to be our top priority.

Actions Western Financial Group has taken in response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic include:

• Activate Crisis Management and Appropriate Business Continuity Response
• Impose Travel Restrictions
• Activate Additional Sanitation Measures
• Activate Remote Work Strategies
• Establish Direct Lines of Communication with Local Public Health Agencies
• Impose Community Event Restrictions (Western Community Foundation)
• Execute Mass Communications
• Modify Meeting Participation Through Use of Technology

Employee Support
We are providing health and safety guidelines to all our teams and offering the necessary resources to allow for remote work and support social distancing. Our people are actioning Western’s pandemic response as outlined above in our branches, head office, and regional offices.

Customer Support
We are confident that we can continue to provide exceptional service and support to our customers as needed, and for an indefinite period, as we all work together to slow or reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus.

Western has made the decision to halt walk-in business at our retail locations across Canada. Taking this action now will protect our branch teams and customers, while reducing the likelihood of rolling closures across our network. Our goal is to continue to provide working spaces where our people can feel confident and comfortable. If you have questions on how this decision may impact you, please reach out to your usual key contact at Western.

Our website’s alert banner and branch door signs are providing our customers with several service options. We are encouraging customers to:

• Use our online forms to submit service requests and new business quotes
• Call their local branch
• Email their local branch

Excepting this modification to customer interactions, we have normal business operations across most locations and are experiencing isolated branch closures to coordinate enhanced sanitation measures and adapt to changing staffing levels.

Carrier Support
It is our shared responsibility to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. As such, we are exercising an abundance of caution and establishing guidelines to promote a safe working environment.

Therefore, we are eliminating any unnecessary branch visits. We will continue to conduct business with our partners by phone and email. There will be inconveniences at times; we ask for your support and understanding as we adapt to these unique circumstances for the safety of our employees and the broader community.

Western’s COVID-19 response committee is continuing to closely monitor the news and top health and disease control organizations – including the World Health Organization, Health Canada and the Centers for Disease Control.

Our continued wishes for your health and safety.

Sincerely,

Kenny Nicholls

President and Chief Executive Officer

Western Financial Group