FirstOntario Credit Union activates Open Banking with FIS Everlink payment services and Flinks

Source: PR Newswire

FirstOntario Credit Union, FIS Everlink payment services, and Flinks has announced that FirstOntario is now live on Open Banking infrastructure (also known as consumer-driven banking), enabling its members to securely share their financial data with third-party apps and services of their choosing.

The go-live marks the activation of a partnership first announced in January 2024, when FirstOntario selected Everlink and Flinks to deliver its Open Banking capabilities ahead of Canada’s Consumer-Driven Banking framework. With the Consumer-Driven Banking Act having received Royal Assent in March 2026, FirstOntario’s go-live positions it among the early movers in the Canadian credit union sector – delivering on a commitment made to members before the regulatory mandate required it.

The solution is built on Flinks Outbound, Flinks’ consent-based data-sharing infrastructure and managed services that include partner accreditation, delivered through Everlink’s Digital Solutions platform. The three organizations have come together with a compliant, production-ready connection that allows FirstOntario members to grant third-party access to their account and transaction data – securely, transparently, and on their terms.

FirstOntario is one of Canada’s largest credit unions, with $8.2 billion in assets under management and 132,000 members across Ontario.

Lloyd Smith, chief executive officer of FirstOntario, said: “Enhancing our digital capabilities to deliver a better and more efficient member experience remains a key strategic priority for our organization. With consumer-driven banking now available, we’re pleased to be an early adopter and offer this service to our members, giving them more choice and flexibility while maintaining the high standards of security and trust they expect from FirstOntario.”

Julien Cousineau, founder and chief executive officer, Flinks, said: “FirstOntario’s go-live is what early commitment looks like in practice. While much of the industry has been waiting for the regulatory mandate to act, we have worked with Everlink to make consent-based data sharing real for members today.

“With Canada’s Consumer-Driven Banking Act now in force and 300+ fintechs already connected through Flinks Outbound, FirstOntario members aren’t waiting for Open Banking – they’re already using it.”

Mark Ripplinger, president of FIS Everlink, said: “Consumer-Driven Banking represents a defining transformation in how Canadians engage with financial services – one that demands secure, API-first infrastructure built for the next generation of financial services. At Everlink, we recognized that early.

“We’re proud to partner with FirstOntario and Flinks on this milestone: FirstOntario is among the first credit unions in Canada to go live with consumer-driven banking capabilities, and that’s a testament to what ecosystem collaboration can deliver.”

Further reading: Bank of Canada sets course for Consumer-Driven Banking and stablecoin supervision