About - News - TELUS investing $3 million in Fort McMurray this year

Fort McMurray, AB – TELUS announced today a $3 million investment across Fort McMurray in 2022 to continue bringing its blistering-fast 5G network speeds to the city, giving residents and businesses access to the fastest 5G network in Canada. This is part of TELUS’ $17 billion investment in operations, network infrastructure, and spectrum across the province now through 2026, creating 8,500 new jobs for Albertans and connecting more families and businesses to TELUS’ world-leading 5G and TELUS PureFibre networks. Last month, TELUS and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo also announced that construction is now underway on a collaborative project to connect Draper, Janvier, Fort McKay, Conklin, Anzac and Gregoire Lake Estates directly to the TELUS PureFibre optic network.

“This generational $17 billion investment in Alberta 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 in respect of enabling online healthcare, education and teleworking flexibility, and 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 Albertans 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 provide 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 our generation and bringing real solutions to the residents of Alberta. 

“For residents and businesses, enhanced Internet service will improve their online experience and how they connect socially, conduct business, access services, and enjoy entertainment. This has long been a priority in supporting rural communities in the region and we are proud to partner with TELUS to bring faster and more reliable Internet to Anzac, Conklin, Draper, Fort McKay, Gregoire Lake Estates and Janvier,” said Sandy Bowman, Mayor of Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo. “This infrastructure will promote connectivity in the region and open the door to new possibilities and contribute to better opportunity for our communities.”

Since 2000, TELUS’ team members and retirees have contributed more than $1.35 million and volunteered more than 9,000 hours in support of charities and community organizations located in Wood Buffalo, including the Wood Buffalo Food Bank.

“During this unprecedented time of crisis, TELUS’ long standing support has enabled the Wood Buffalo Food Bank to support those most vulnerable in our community, ensuring that everyone in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo can access the services they need to keep their families safe and nourished,” said Dan Edwards, Executive Director of the Wood Buffalo Food Bank. 

Across Alberta, TELUS’ significant investment of $17 billion now through 2026 also includes:

• Creating new jobs to support Alberta’s growing economy
  Hiring 8,500 Albertans with a focus on construction, engineering, and emerging technologies at TELUS and through its vast partner ecosystem now through 2026.

• Connecting nearly 1 million homes in Alberta
  TELUS will connect hundreds of thousands more homes and businesses across Alberta including in Airdrie, Calgary, Edmonton, Leduc, Lloydminster, Spruce Grove, and St. Albert. PureFibre is Alberta's only 100 per cent pure fibre-to-the-home network and currently reaches nearly 1 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 3.5 GHz spectrum additions later this year, Albertans will have access to TELUS’ 5G network delivering an ultrafast and reliable wireless connection. Albertans 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.
  TELUS’ global-leading wireless network was rated the fastest mobile network for the eighth consecutive time by UK-based Opensignal, while also earning the title of North America’s Fastest Mobile Network and being named Canada’s Fastest Mobile Network by Seattle-based Ookla® for the ninth consecutive time.

• 5G Core and Multi-Access Edge Computing
  TELUS will introduce its 5G standalone network this year and bring multi-access edge computing (MEC) capabilities that will further advance IoT and industry solutions that will enable important innovations for businesses and sectors, including health, agriculture, energy, transportation, and manufacturing.
  Our network and crucial investments will support the digitization of the economy, and our transition to a sustainable future, including through optimisation of energy consumption at home, reduction of food waste or intelligent transport systems that result in fewer emissions.

• Contributing to a greener Alberta and planet
  As a global leader in sustainability, TELUS’ network infrastructure and investments are helping us 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. 
  
  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. Moreover, TELUS’ world-leading wireless and wireline networks enable significant carbon avoidance by providing the networks required for TELUS team members and millions of Albertans to work remotely and avoid commuting; access education, healthcare, and social connections virtually; and enable other businesses to take their workforce virtual leading to less energy consumption in office buildings and fewer commuters on the road. 
  
  To date, TELUS has planted more than 800,000 trees and by the time its millionth tree is planted later this year, it will have planted the equivalent of 20,000 acres of forest, which is nearly the size of Red Deer. 

• Supporting Alberta’s Agriculture Industry
  TELUS Agriculture is investing in integrated data management software, helping to scale animal health technology to deliver valuable insights and enable a more sustainable, responsive food supply chain. With a comprehensive portfolio of grower and advisor solutions, TELUS Agriculture is helping to improve both productivity and profitability for farmers in Alberta, notably with field-specific nutrient management programs aimed at increasing fertilizer efficiency and maximizing yield potential.
  Since 2000 through 2021, TELUS has invested $220 billion nationally in network infrastructure, operations and spectrum, including more than $60 billion in Alberta over the past century. The investments announced in this media release are consistent with TELUS’ capital expenditure guidance for 2021, released in the fourth quarter of 2020 earnings release dated February 11, 2021.
  

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements about future events and plans that are forward-looking, including relating to TELUS’ infrastructure, operations and spectrum 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.