In partnership with the Government of Canada, TELUS Internet for Good TM is now available to more families through the national Connecting Families initiative
TORONTO, June 06, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELUS is expanding the reach of its Internet for Good program by participating in the Federal Government’s new Connecting Families initiative, announced earlier today by the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. Major Canadian ISPs have committed to participate in the Connecting Families initiative, which is entirely funded by the service providers and comes at no cost to the Federal Government or taxpayers.
TELUS has a long-standing commitment to bridging the digital divide and helping at-risk Canadians achieve social and digital equality. In 2016, TELUS launched Internet for Good in British Columbia and Alberta in collaboration with provincial governments and not-for-profit partners -- ensuring that Canadians in need are #allconnected to the invaluable resources an internet connection provides. This innovative program offered nearly 30,000 low-income single-parent families access to TELUS Internet 25 and 300 GB of data for only $9.95 per month. The federal Connecting Families initiative enables TELUS to extend Internet for Good to even more families across B.C., Alberta and Quebec who now qualify if they receive the Canada Child Tax Benefit.
“Nearly half of Canadian families living in poverty do not have access to the Internet – a vital service that is often taken for granted as accessible for all. As part of our long-standing commitment to putting our customers and communities first, the TELUS team is leveraging our technology in combination with our culture of giving, to bridge social, economic and geographic digital divides,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO of TELUS. “Through programs like TELUS Internet for Good, we are leading the way in connecting at-risk Canadians to the tools and opportunities they need to realize their full potential. We are pleased to join the Government of Canada, our industry colleagues and not-for-profit partners to create Connecting Families and help more Canadians thrive in our dynamic digital society.”
TELUS is also supporting youth transitioning out of Foster Care through TELUS Mobility for Good TM . The program launched in 2017 in collaboration with the provincial government of British Columbia, and recently expanded to Quebec and in Ontario in partnership with the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC). The TELUS Mobility for Good program provides vulnerable youth with a free smartphone and plan for two years, enabling them to stay connected with friends and potential employers, and helping to prevent social isolation as they transition to independent living. TELUS and CAFC will expand this critical program to even more youth in the near future.
TELUS Internet for Good and Mobility for Good are complemented by TELUS Wise, a free program that offers workshops and educational content to help Canadians stay safe online. TELUS recently launched the TELUS Wise Digital Pledge, which encourages all Canadians to take an active role in making the Internet safer for everyone as part of a nationwide #EndBullying campaign.
About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T ) (NYSE: TU ) is Canada’s fastest-growing national telecommunications company, with $13.6 billion of annual revenue and 13.1 million subscriber connections, including 8.9 million wireless subscribers, 1.8 million high-speed Internet subscribers, 1.3 million residential network access lines and 1.1 million TELUS TV customers. TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment, video and home security. TELUS is also Canada's largest healthcare IT provider, and TELUS International delivers business process solutions around the globe.
In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed over $525 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 8.7 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Created in 2005 by President and CEO Darren Entwistle, TELUS’ 13 Canadian community boards and 5 International boards have led the Company’s support of grassroots charities and have contributed more than $67 million in support of 6,283 local charitable projects, enriching the lives of more than 2 million children and youth, annually. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition. For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.
For media inquiries:
Sacha Gudmundsson TELUS Social and Media Relations sacha.gudmundsson@telus.com 647-472-8856
