Ms. Nathalie Dionne reports

TELUS INVESTS $5 MILLION IN THE NORTH SHORE REGION

Telus Corp. has made a $5-million private investment in the North Shore region this year to deploy and update its PureFibre and 5G networks. This investment is paired with the financial contributions of $6.89-million from the government of Quebec and $4.06-million from the CRTC (Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission) to add nine new wireless sites in the La Manicouagan and La Minganie RCMs (regional county municipality) to improve connectivity along Route 389 in the north of Baie-Comeau, in Lac Walker, along stretches of road on Route 138 between Sept-Iles and Natashquan and the surrounding municipalities. Planning and preparatory work will begin in 2023 and Telus plans for the first sites to be operational in 2024.

"Connectivity is a true social and community driver of education, digital health care and economic possibilities, as well as sustainable and modern agriculture. Most importantly, it empowers our regions to grow, fast-track their environmental transition and promote their attractions," says Nathalie Dionne, Telus interim vice-president, home solutions and customer experience, Quebec. "Ten years ago, we began the ambitious deployment of our PureFibre network, which uses the most sustainable technology available. As of last September, 99 per cent of families and businesses in the territory that we serve in Quebec have access to this technology and we are very proud of that. Although our private investments are crucial, we commend the commitments from the government of Quebec and the CRTC to improve wireless coverage in these regions."

"We're happy to continue with our digital transformation thanks to connectivity from Telus," says Leonard Labrie, deputy prefect of the Minganie RCM. "With high-speed connectivity and cellular service, we can encourage entrepreneurship, economic development and the tourist appeal of our region. More importantly, wireless connectivity makes our roads safer and allows us to improve emergency services. Each improvement in the region represents a concrete step toward a more dynamic and prosperous North Shore."

"It's excellent news for our citizens," says Michel Desbiens, mayor of Baie-Comeau. "This type of connectivity is indispensable nowadays, whether it's for work from home, distance learning or access to virtual health care, at home or out and about. Now we don't have to be envious of big cities any more on this point."

Continuing investments for a better future

Telus plans to invest $81.2-billion in Canada by 2027, including $11.5-billion in the Quebec economy, for its infrastructure, operations and spectrum licensing, and to improve the coverage, speed and reliability of its world-class networks.

In addition to these significant investments, the Telus team is driven by a desire to bring positive social changes to the communities where it operates. Since 2000, Telus and its active and retired team members have given over 6,500 volunteer hours and $450,000 in cash contributions to support local organizations such as Maison des familles de Baie-Comeau in providing community perinatal care and offering supervision for access rights across the North Shore territory. Also, through its Connecting for Good programs, Telus has enabled more than 20,500 vulnerable people in Quebec to have access to technologies and stay connected to what matters most to them. Telus team members in the region have also taken part in National Volunteer Week, in partnership with Centres d'action benevole du Quebec, and actively participate in Telus Days of Giving by cleaning up neighbourhood parks, providing career advice to young people, giving groceries to neighbours in need and supporting local charities.

The investments announced in this news release reflect Telus's overall capital expenditure guidance for 2023, which was released on Feb. 9, 2023, during the company's fourth financial quarter of 2022.

About Telus Corp.

Telus is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with over $18-billion in annual operating revenue and 18 million customer connections to its wireless, data, voice, IP (Internet protocol), television, video, entertainment and security services. Its social purpose is to leverage its global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes.

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