Unlocking social and economic opportunities for everyone

Telecommunications network investments fuel the economy, touching everything from banking to education, to healthcare and food production.
A father and daughter viewing a computer screen while seated at a desk
Policies and regulations impact our ability to invest in and expand our network so that Canadians can access the connectivity and technology they need to improve their lives.

Some of the ways we advocate

Fibre access
Innovation
Affordability
Productivity
Rural and Indigenous
Climate change
Social and health outcomes

Critical network infrastructure

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has recently made a significant decision regarding the wholesale framework for wireline services. The CRTC is requiring TELUS, Bell, and SaskTel carriers to provide resellers access to their fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) infrastructure. This decision was the culmination of its wholesale Internet framework.

Driving innovation through investment

Unlocking the power of new technologies that can improve our quality of life and deliver economic, social and environmental benefits is dependent on having the most advanced, resilient and reliable networks. As Canada’s connectivity leader with over $332 billion invested from 2000 through to 2028 in network infrastructure, operations, and spectrum across Canada, TELUS’ network investments enable innovation and the development of game changing solutions such as early forest fire detection and smart farming, made possible through 5G technology.

Giving Canadians more choice

Ensuring affordable telecommunications services for all Canadians is a key priority in today's economic climate. The good news is that in spite of historic inflation and increased living costs, wireless prices have been declining, providing consumers with more choices. 
According to Statistics Canada, while the cost of other household goods has surged, wireless prices have never been lower. This trend is supported by ongoing investments in network infrastructure, which aim to deliver high-quality, reliable services even as prices continue to decrease. The commitment to affordability and accessibility in the telecom industry remains strong, benefiting Canadians across the country.
See our analysis of recent Statistics Canada surveys
here
.

The productivity challenge in Canada

Canada's productivity growth has been lagging behind other developed nations, with labour productivity averaging just 1.1% per year over the past decade, according to the Conference Board of Canada.

Addressing Canada's productivity crisis requires a multifaceted approach, and telecommunications play a pivotal role in this effort; the industry continues to invest domestically in areas like infrastructure and facilities, particularly at a time when prices are declining substantially.
By leveraging TELUS’s advanced telecommunications solutions, Canada can overcome its productivity challenges and build a more prosperous future.

Connectivity for rural and Indigenous communities

With limited access to healthcare, education and government services, reliable internet connectivity is essential to bridge the gap for Canadians living in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. To support thriving rural economies, all Canadians need access to high-speed internet in order to participate fully in our digital economy, and connect to online job opportunities, e-commerce and remote work and education. Connectivity is a crucial tool in reconciliation, helping to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and supporting self-determination for Indigenous peoples.

Digital policy is climate policy

Mitigating climate change requires advanced technology solutions and connectivity. This includes both wireless technologies like 5G, and a transformative rural broadband investment to connect the remaining parts of Canada to high speed internet – so that benefits like remote work, which decreases emissions from transportation, for example, can be more broadly adopted. Research shows that broadband internet and digital technologies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by 15 per cent to 20 per cent over current levels. The robust broadband infrastructure in Canada lays a foundation for a greener and more sustainable future.

Next generation networks unlock essential benefits

By expanding broadband access, we can bridge the digital divide and ensure that more Canadians benefit from reliable, high-speed internet, connecting them to the care they need, no matter where they live or work. Digital solutions are becoming embedded in our healthcare delivery model, as well as our food supply chain. There is an immense opportunity to deliver improved healthcare access and outcomes, as well as make our food more sustainable if we are able to continue to expand and build our networks.
Wholesale wireline review

Learn about how the Wholesale Wireline Review impacts Canada’s telecommunications industry


What’s new?

On August 13 2024, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) decided that Bell, TELUS, and SaskTel must allow other internet service providers, or resellers, to use their fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) network infrastructure by February 13 2025.
The CRTC sets rates - or the price - that telecom companies can charge for access to their networks. Currently the rates in effect in Ontario and Quebec are those that were set on an interim basis back in May 2023. The CRTC will release updated rates for these new aggregated FTTP services at a later date. 
The new policy grants telcos a five-year exemption period for new FTTP builds. This means that any communities connected to fibre between now and August 2029 are not required to offer wholesale services during that time frame.
Two TELUS technicians installing an underground wireline

Fast Facts

  • Between
    2017 and 2022
    , fibre availability almost doubled – from 35 per cent of households in 2017 to nearly 64 per cent of households in 2022. Fibre adoption is up 16.4 percentage points and average residential download speeds have quintupled during the same period;
  • Many communities‌ — ‌including large cities, smaller communities‌ and rural areas‌ — ‌still lack access to FTTP networks;
  • The higher cost of building and maintaining networks in Alberta and British Columbia is due to challenging topography, lower population density, higher labour costs‌ and risk of natural disasters;
  • Escalating labour costs in rural areas undermine the business case for network deployment;
  • Labour cost pressures are particularly acute in Alberta and British Columbia, where labour rates are 12 per cent higher than in Ontario and Quebec, and approximately 60 per cent of the cost of building networks is labour costs (Our World in Data 2023) (Labor share of gross domestic product (GDP 2020); and
  • According to the CRTC’s
    interim
     decision, the field of wholesale-based competitors in Ontario and Quebec has become less competitive, while competition has increased in Western and Atlantic Canada. At the end of 2022, wholesale-based competitors served 25 per cent fewer subscribers in Ontario and Quebec than they did two years prior. Meanwhile, in Western Canada, subscribers to services provided by wholesale-based competitors have increased by 17 per cent since 2020, while Atlantic Canada saw a 44 per cent increase in subscribers
    (CRTC, 2023)
    .  
A man at his desk chatting on his smartphone
Investment and innovation

Network investments support economic growth

The telecommunications industry is a significant driver of Canada’s economic growth – the networks they build are a core, foundational part of Canada's overall infrastructure and key for economic and social development.
Through their network investments and job generation, telcos play a crucial role in fostering innovation that improves efficiency across industry sectors, creates opportunities throughout the supply chain‌ and gives Canada its technological edge in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Rural and Indigenous connectivity

Connectivity for rural, remote‌ and Indigenous communities

TELUS remains committed to expanding broadband access to bridge the digital divide, and ensure that all Canadians benefit from reliable connectivity. Access to reliable high-speed internet is essential for Canadians located all across our vast country to participate fully in the digital economy.
A middle-aged Indigenous man standing in a doorway
Two women taking a selfie while standing in a forest
Social and environmental impact

The benefits of network investments

Broadband internet and 5G has revolutionized digital access across the country, ensuring Canadians are connected to high-speed internet means they can benefit from virtual healthcare, online education, public services and remote work. 
It is also capable of advancing climate solutions to accelerate sustainability and support Canada’s carbon emissions reduction efforts.

These benefits are a direct result of a robust network infrastructure and its continued reliability. To achieve this and support Canada’s climate change mitigation, we need smart digital policy to be embedded with Canada’s climate action plan.
Affordability

Giving Canadians more choice

At TELUS, we are committed to ensuring that all Canadians have access to affordable telecommunications services. Despite rising inflation and living costs, we have successfully lowered wireless prices, providing consumers with more choices. Our ongoing investments in network infrastructure ensure high-quality and reliable services.
Woman holding cellphone in her hands
Productivity

Boosting Canada's economy: A productivity perspective

Canada is in a productivity emergency. Canada’s productivity performance has been dismal. For comparison, American labour productivity growth was 160 percent faster than Canada’s from 2002 to 2020—and America’s growth in that period was actually low in historical terms.
(ITIF, 2024)
Productivity, defined as the efficiency with which goods and services are produced, is a critical factor in determining a country's economic health and competitiveness. According to Statistics Canada, labor productivity fell by 1.8% in 2023, marking the third consecutive year of decline. Low productivity growth can lead to slower economic growth, reduced competitiveness, and lower standards of living. That said, there are industries in Canada which are considered ‘high-productivity’ and significantly contribute to Canada’s economy, namely: telecommunications, finance and manufacturing.
Woman and man with laptop
A man at his desk chatting on his smartphone
Copper Theft

Canadians deserve reliable internet infrastructure

Network resilience is paramount in today's interconnected world, where Canadians rely on robust telecommunications infrastructure for everything from emergency services to daily business operations. At TELUS, we're committed to building and maintaining a resilient network that can withstand various challenges and continue to provide essential services even in the face of adversity.
However, one of the most pressing threats to our network's resilience is the escalating issue of copper theft. This critical problem demands urgent attention from policymakers, industry leaders, and the public alike. By understanding the full extent of this issue and its impact on network resilience, we can work collectively towards implementing effective policies and measures to protect our vital telecommunications infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted service for all Canadians.

Connectivity creates opportunities for economic transformation

TELUS and government partners provide access to education, virtual and the digital economy, making opportunities accessible for all Canadians, regardless of where they live and work.
View related stories