TELUS invests $9 million in Mékinac and Les Chenaux

Trois-Rivières – Today, TELUS announces a $9 million private investment in the Mékinac and Les Chenaux RCMs (Regional County Municipality), rolling out its PureFibre and 5G networks in Batiscan, Hérouxville, Saint-Adelphe and Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan in the upcoming year. TELUS is also extending its 5G network coverage with the construction of a new wireless site in Saint-Adelphe. This substantial investment will bridge the digital divide by fostering digital innovation in local businesses, promoting the tourism industry, attracting young workers and families and accelerating the development of virtual services in health and education. 

"Our 6,000 team members in Quebec are using technology to create a better future for citizens by bridging the digital divide with our world-class networks," says Nathalie Dionne, TELUS' Interim Vice-President, Home Solutions and Customer Excellence in Quebec."Ninety-nine per cent of families and businesses in our Quebec territory are connected to our PureFibre network and we continue to invest with the objective of connecting all households to high speed internet by September 2022. We also applaud the Quebec government's commitment to improving wireless coverage in our regions with a $50 million investment in their most recent budget. Today, broadband connectivity is more than a commodity : it is necessary for our work, entertainment, education and access to improved healthcare. Most importantly, it empowers our regions to grow, fast-track their environmental transition and dynamically promote their attractions." 

TELUS' investment will help to initiate and advance the following projects:

• Deployment of the PureFibre network to 1,700 families and businesses in Batiscan, Hérouxville, Saint-Adelphe and Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan. By September 2022, these households will have home access to fibre optic internet, the world's fastest and most reliable internet technology. PureFibre offers ultra-fast symmetrical speeds along with nearly infinite bandwidth so everyone can work, stream, game or make video calls at the same time. It also supports the entire TELUS family of superior home products and services, which include a wide selection of connected healthcare services and advanced security, home automation and entertainment solutions.

• Construction of new wireless sites in Saint-Adelphe for expanded 5G coverage in the community. As it continues to evolve, 5G technology will be instrumental in making our cities smarter and greener, transforming agriculture, improving healthcare, and further advancing connected homes and autonomous cars. 

• Ongoing support for local organizations and vulnerable families in the Mauricie region. Since 2000, TELUS, its team members and retirees provided $85 million in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs and volunteered 1.1 million hours to charities and community organizations located in Quebec, including the Centre de Pédiatrie sociale de Trois-Rivières. TELUS Mobility for Good and TELUS Internet for Good programs also provide low-cost services to vulnerable youth, seniors, families, and people with disabilities.

Quotes:

• “2022 will be the year when Saint-Adelphe moves into the digital age with the long-awaited arrival of high-speed and wireless connectivity,” says Paul Labranche, Mayor of Saint-Adelphe. “High speed internet is the cornerstone of regional economic development. Our municipality will now be able to compete with big cities and attract young families to settle here. Our farming and industrial businesses will be even more efficient and competitive in a constantly changing market. We will have all the tools we need to improve our tourism offerings and attract travellers to our beautiful Mékinac region in Mauricie. These major investments from TELUS will contribute greatly to improving quality of life and safety for Saint-Adelphe residents.”

• “We're very happy with TELUS’s investment to improve cellular connectivity in Saint-Adelphe, which will provide greater safety and flexibility in our travel, work and everyday life,” says Bernard Thompson, Prefect of the Mékinac RCM. Technology has become an essential tool, especially since the pandemic experience, and we encourage any investment that will help the communities in our RCM to be more connected, dynamic and focused on the future.”

• “We are very pleased to learn that better digital services will soon be available for residents of Batiscan and Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan,” says Guy Veillette, Prefect of the Les Chenaux RCM. “The pandemic highlighted our residents' need for high-quality digital infrastructure.”

Ongoing investments for a better future

TELUS plans to invest $70 billion in Canada by 2026 for its network infrastructure, operations and spectrum, including $11 billion in the Quebec economy, which will improve the coverage, speed and reliability of its world-class networks. As part of the Operation High Speed program (Éclair I component), the Federal and Provincial governments have allocated $26 million to TELUS for broadband internet deployment to nearly 5,000 homes. TELUS' additional funding will connect an additional 25,000 families and businesses to the PureFibre network by September 2022 in the Eastern Quebec, Capitale-Nationale, Chaudière-Appalaches, Mauricie and Estrie regions.

The investments announced today 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, 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.