NOVEMBER 2, 2022

TELUS to provide free smartphones and wireless services in Ontario to Indigenous women at risk or surviving violence

Land acknowledgement

Toronto - The Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.

Expanding TELUS Mobility for Good program with new partners Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) and Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto (NWRCT)

Today, TELUS launched its Mobility for Good for Indigenous Women at Risk program in Ontario, in partnership with Native Child and Family Services of Toronto (NCFST) and Native Women's Resource Centre of Toronto (NWRCT). While Indigenous women and girls comprise only four per cent of the total female population in Canada, they
represent 24 per cent of female homicide victims
and are 12 times more likely to be murdered or go missing than any other women in Canada. Developed in partnership with
Indigenous-led organizations
, Mobility for Good for Indigenous Women at Risk provides free smartphones and fully subsidized talk, text and data plans to Indigenous women, girls or gender diverse people, serving as a critical lifeline to Indigenous-led services, wellness resources, and their support networks.
“Having a cellular device and reliable network is a vital lifeline, ensuring no matter where you live or socio-economic status, you can always access critical health, safety and wellness services,” said Jill Schnarr, Chief Social Innovation Officer, TELUS. “The expansion of Mobility for Good for Indigenous Women at Risk to Ontario is part of our ongoing commitment to be a valued partner in advancing Reconciliation and responding to the
231 Calls for Justice
, specifically Justice 15 to support and promote Indigenous women’s health, safety and wellness. Leveraging our world-leading technology for good, we are proud to partner with Indigenous-led organizations that are helping deliver accessible services to prevent and end violence, and offering Indigenous women and girls in need a path to independence, enabling them to make safe choices for themselves and their families.”
With the support of TELUS, NCFST and NWRCT are starting to distribute smartphones and plans to support Indigenous women in Ontario who are at risk of, or surviving, violence. Since
launching the program
in 2021, TELUS and their partners in B.C. and Alberta have supported nearly 1,000 Indigenous women. TELUS plans to partner with additional Indigenous-led organizations across Canada to further expand the reach and impact of this program into the future. 
“Low-barrier access to smartphones supports wellness for Indigenous women, both as a critical safety measure and also a means of maintaining connection with family and community,” said Melissa Hamonic, Director, Holistic Services, Native Child and Family Services of Toronto. “We are grateful to walk with the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto (NWRCT) alongside TELUS as they continue to walk a path of truth and reconciliation."
“We are honoured to work with TELUS on this initiative to support learnings on reconciliation and provide essential connection tools for women of the community,” said Pamela Hart, Executive Director, Native Women Resource Centre of Toronto. “Through the pandemic and continuously, the community faces barriers, disconnection and through provision of devices, we can maintain interactions. It is more than a phone or device, it’s connection to community, learning, culture and sometimes, a lifeline.” 
TELUS Mobility for Good for Indigenous Women at Risk is part of the
TELUS Connecting for Good
portfolio of programs that gives individuals in need in Canada access to TELUS’ world-leading technology. To date, TELUS’ Connecting for Good programs have supported more than 315,000 individuals since inception.
TELUS has a longstanding commitment to strengthening relationships with Indigenous Peoples, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities, acknowledging that our work spans many Traditional Territories and Treaty areas. Last year, TELUS announced its
Indigenous Reconciliation Commitment
and
Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan
. For more information on TELUS’ Reconciliation commitment, please visit
telus.com/reconciliation

For more information, please contact:

Saara Rahikka
TELUS Media Relations
[email protected]