TELUS investing $19 million in Prince George connecting customers to PureFibre and 5G networks

Prince George, B.C. (August 11) – TELUS is investing $19 million in Prince George this year as part of its $17.5 billion investment in infrastructure, operations, and spectrum across British Columbia through 2026. These investments will connect more local homes and businesses to the PureFibre network and expand access to TELUS’ 5G network.

“This generational $17.5 billion investment in British Columbia is a true demonstration of TELUS’ long-standing commitment to improving the lives of Canadians by connecting communities from coast-to-coast with our world-leading wireless 5G and PureFibre networks,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO of TELUS. “Our broadband technology is supporting critical, transformational change as we enable online healthcare, education and teleworking flexibility, accelerating Canada’s digital economy and society for heightened productivity, competitiveness and human welfare outcomes in the post-pandemic period. Importantly, through our investment, we are supporting the social and economic vibrancy of British Columbia and ensuring that every member of our society has access to the technology that yields the opportunity to realize their full potential.”

These investments are critical to providing Canadians with access to superior technology that connects customers to the people, resources and information that make their lives better. TELUS is steadfast in its commitment to using technology, team member-led innovation, and human compassion to address the most important societal challenges of this generation and bringing real solutions to the residents of B.C.

“Increasingly, our lives revolve around technology and connectivity. Here in Prince George, equitable access to reliable broadband has long been a challenge,” said Lyn Hall, Mayor of Prince George. “This investment by TELUS supports access to healthcare, education and flexible work options; access which helps to strengthen our community. Importantly, it will also help us to communicate with our citizens in times of crisis.” 

Since 2000, TELUS’ team members and retirees provided more than $250 million in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs and volunteered 7 million hours to charities and community organizations located in British Columbia, including giving more than $40 million in cash and in-kind contributions in 2021 alone.

“Thank you so much to our friends at TELUS for their generous donation of seven smart hubs with data plans,” said Darrell Roze, Executive Director, Child Development Centre. “The smart hubs are a tremendous benefit to the Child Development Centre, providing us with high speed, remote Internet access. This will increase access to virtual therapy support for families in Mackenzie, McBride, and Valemount. The smart hubs will also facilitate greater collaboration with other child development professionals when we are on home visits and when providing support in other communities.”

Earlier this year, TELUS announced the expansion of the TELUS Interior and Northern B.C. Community Board, formally known as TELUS Thompson Okanagan Board, which supports more than 70 communities across the province including Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Prince George, Quesnel, and Cranbrook. As a result of this expansion, the TELUS Interior and Northern B.C. Community Board will provide more local youth with access to the resources they need and new opportunities for them to thrive. Since 2005, B.C. Community Boards have given $13 million in cash donations to local charities including the Child Development Centre of Prince George and the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation. 

"TELUS has been a long-time supporter of Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation and instrumental in many campaigns aimed at bringing the very best of care to Northern B.C.,” said Aimee Cassie, CEO Spirit of the North Foundation. “This includes being a strong supporter of the Northern Cardiac Strategy, Mental Health and Wellness Programming, and Seniors Health. The lasting impact of their generosity is felt throughout our region with the addition of vital medical equipment that would otherwise not be made available in our communities. Thanks to their unwavering support, many Northerners are able to stay home to receive various treatments, diagnostics, and programming." 

In March, TELUS launched the TELUS Indigenous Communities Fund, offering grants up to $50,000 for Indigenous-led social, health, and community programs. In October 2021, TELUS launched the Mobility for Good for Indigenous Women at Risk program in partnership with the Prince George Native Friendship Centre, bringing free smartphones and mobility service to Indigenous women at risk or surviving violence in the region. This program gives women a critical lifeline to timely emergency services, reliable access to virtual healthcare and wellness resources, and the ability to stay connected to their friends, family, and support networks.

Across British Columbia, TELUS’ significant investment of $17.5 billion now through 2026 also includes:

• Generating new jobs to support B.C.’s growing economy
  Hiring 5,500 British Columbians with a focus on construction, engineering, and emerging technologies at TELUS through its vast partner ecosystem now through 2026.

• Connecting over 1.6 million homes in B.C.
  TELUS will connect hundreds of thousands more homes and businesses across B.C. including Coquitlam, kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem First Nation), Maple Ridge, New Westminster, Parksville, Prince George, Saanich, Squamish, and Sydney. PureFibre is B.C. 's only 100 per cent pure fibre-to-the-home network and currently reaches more than 1.6 million homes and businesses across the province. The symmetrical upload and download Internet speeds and nearly infinite bandwidth enabled only by PureFibre means everyone can work, stream, game, or make video calls at the same time. 

• Delivering 5G to remote communities
  With the rollout of the 3.5 GHz spectrum later this year, Canadians in B.C. will have access to TELUS’ 5G network delivering an ultrafast and reliable wireless connection. British Columbians living in some rural and remote communities are also some of the first in the country to access home Internet speeds of 100 Mbps through TELUS’ 5G fixed wireless network, using the capabilities of 5G to provide a powerful alternative to a wired Internet connection.

• Creating a greener B.C. and planet through virtualization 
  As a global leader in sustainability, the 2021 Sustainability Report outlines TELUS’ environmental, social, and governance strategy and priorities which includes the ambitious goal to use 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025. TELUS’ network infrastructure and investments are helping British Columbians transition to a sustainable future through the digitization of the economy, including optimizing energy consumption at home and reducing food waste through its TELUS Agriculture solutions. 
  
  Since 2000 through 2021, TELUS has invested $220 billion nationally in network infrastructure, operations and spectrum, including more than $57 billion in network infrastructure, operations and spectrum in B.C. The investments announced in this media release are consistent with TELUS’ capital expenditure guidance for 2022, released in the fourth quarter of 2021 earnings release dated February 10, 2022. 

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements about future events and plans that are forward-looking, including relating to TELUS’ infrastructure investment plans. By their nature, forward-looking statements require TELUS to make assumptions and predictions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. There is significant risk that the forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a number of factors (such as regulatory decisions and developments, the competitive environment in which we operate, our operating and financial results and our ability to carry out financing activities) could cause actual capital and operating expenditures to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements.

Accordingly, this news release and the forward-looking statements made in it are subject to the cautionary note and qualified by the assumptions, qualifications and risk factors referred to in TELUS’ 2021 and first quarter 2022 Management’s discussion and analysis, which are incorporated by reference herein, and in other TELUS public disclosure documents and filings with securities commissions in Canada (on SEDAR at sedar.com) and in the United States (on EDGAR at sec.gov). Forward-looking statements describe TELUS’ expectations and are based on our assumptions as at the date of this press release and are subject to change. Except as required by law, TELUS disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.