EDMONTON, ALBERTA — (Marketwired) — 04/04/16 — TELUS intends to invest $4.5 billion in new communications infrastructure across Alberta through 2019. This year alone, TELUS will invest more than $900 million in the province to extend fibre optic infrastructure directly to thousands of homes and businesses in rural and urban communities, further strengthen wireless service, and support key services including healthcare and education with new technologies.
“The TELUS team is unwavering in our commitment to continue investing in the future of this resilient province during challenging economic times, directly providing more than 1,250 full-time employment opportunities to support our fibre optic network expansion, the construction of TELUS Sky, and other significant infrastructure projects in the province whilst simultaneously contracting 20 subcontractors who are creating hundreds of additional jobs,” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS President and CEO. “By the end of 2019 TELUS will have invested $46 billion in Alberta since 2000 to provide Albertans with access to critical next-generation health, education, business and government services and solutions, securing Alberta–s place in the growing digital economy and contributing to the province–s economic health and success for generations to come.”
TELUS has paid and remitted $740 million in income, property and other taxes in the province since 2000. More importantly, in support of the company–s philosophy to give where we live, TELUS and its 14,000 team members and retirees in Alberta have contributed more than $135 million and volunteered more than 3.76 million volunteer hours to charitable and community organizations throughout the province since 2000.
“This investment in Alberta is another sign the private sector remains confident in the long-term prosperity of our great province,” said Premier Rachel Notley. “Building this network will create jobs through the economic downturn and offer more options for Alberta families and businesses as our government works to build a more resilient, diversified economy.”
TELUS– infrastructure and technology investments will advance services for the benefit of all Albertans. In Alberta, TELUS is:
The investments announced in this media release were reflected in TELUS– capital expenditure guidance for 2016, which was issued on February 12, 2016.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T)(NYSE: TU) is Canada–s fastest-growing national telecommunications company, with $12.5 billion of annual revenue and 12.5 million customer connections, including 8.5 million wireless subscribers, 1.5 million residential network access lines, 1.6 million high-speed Internet subscribers and 1.0 million TELUS TV customers. TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video, and is Canada–s largest healthcare IT provider.
For more information about TELUS, please visit .
TELUS in Alberta:
TELUS is planning to invest $4.5 billion in new infrastructure and facilities across Alberta over the next four years. By the end of 2019 TELUS expects to have invested $46 billion in Alberta since 2000 to extend the reach of advanced wireless and wireline telecommunications infrastructure throughout the province. As part of that commitment, TELUS has connected homes, businesses, schools and healthcare institutions in more than 20 communities directly to TELUS– fibre network in order to support sustained innovation and fuel the province–s economic growth. The TELUS Health team is leveraging technology innovation to deliver better health outcomes for Albertans as the province–s leading provider of electronic medical records for physicians and as a partner of the Alberta government in introducing online personal health records.
In support of the company–s philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, team members and retirees have contributed more than $118 million and 1.89 million volunteer hours to charitable and community organizations throughout Alberta since 2000. Created in 2005 by President and CEO Darren Entwistle, TELUS has 15 local community boards dedicated to supporting local projects. The two Community Boards in Alberta have donated more than $12.5 million in support of more than 1,000 local charitable projects since inception, in partnership with regional TELUS Community Action Teams.
In 2013 TELUS announced the development of its new office and architectural landmark in the City of Calgary, TELUS Sky. The $400 million, 750,000 square foot mixed-use development will incorporate office, retail and residential space, and is targeting Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification.
Forward-looking statement:
This news release contains statements about expected future events, including TELUS– projected multi-year capital and operating expenditures that are forward-looking. The investments described for 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 are subject to the ongoing review and approval of TELUS– Board of Directors. By their nature, forward-looking statements require the Company 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 and government decisions, the competitive environment, economic conditions, our ability to purchase spectrum licences through auctions or third parties, and our earnings, free cash flow and financial position) could cause actual capital and operating expenditures to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, this news release is subject to the disclaimer and qualified by the assumptions (including the assumptions for our 2016 annual guidance, semi-annual dividend increases through 2016, ability to sustain and complete our multi-year share purchase program through 2016), qualifications and risk factors referred to in the 2015 Management–s Discussion and Analysis for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, which are specifically incorporated by reference herein, and in other TELUS public disclosure documents and filings with securities commissions in Canada (on SEDAR at ) and in the United States (on EDGAR at ). Except as required by law, TELUS disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.
Contacts:
Liz Sauve
TELUS Media Relations
604-719-6715
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