Expansion of its 4G LTE network and other operations will result in investing no less than $650 million and hiring some 900 workers in Ontario, according to Telus Corp.
This significant investment builds on the more than $22 billion the telecom company has already poured into the province through technology and operations since 2000, according to Joe Natale, chief commercial officer for Telus.
“These investments will help support growth across our wireline and wireless services, meeting the exponential demand for advanced communications technology that we see across the province, and indeed across the country,” he said in a press release.
“Of particular importance, they will help to connect additional rural and small communities,” he added.
The $650 million investment will:
- Extend and expand Telus’ fourth generation network coverage to more than 95 per cent of people in Ontario. This year, Telus will extend 4G LTE service to the National Capital Region, Barrie, Windsor, Muskoka, Niagara area and Kingston with more to come over the next few years.
- Continue to improve delivery of drug claims services through the company’s healthcare technology. In May, Telus earned a two-year contract extension with Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for the operation of the Health Network System, which enables pharmacies to submit drug benefit claims electronically. The system settles about 125 million online real-time transactions per year from the approximately 2.2 million Ontarians using Ontario Drug Benefit claims programs.
- Support unique community fundraising projects in Ontario. Similar programs in 2011 raised $250,000 for Junior Achievement of Canada towards a new national award for Canadian youth and $80,000 for the Canadian Beast Cancer Foundation – Ontario Region to fund clinical fellowships in breast cancer research.