TELUS to provide free smartphones and data plans to youth leaving foster care in Northern Canada

TELUS and Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada partner to keep vulnerable Canadian youth safe and connected to vital resources with expanded TELUS Mobility for Good program

YELLOWKNIFE, N.W.T., Sept. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beginning today, young people who have aged out of foster care in Northern Canada can stay connected to vital support networks through a new program offered by TELUS and Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada. The TELUS Mobility for Good program first launched in British Columbia in 2017, followed by Ontario, Alberta and select regions in Quebec in 2018, and New Brunswick and Manitoba in 2019. Now expanding to Saskatchewan, Northern Canada, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and P.E.I., TELUS’ Mobility for Good will help youth in the region stay connected with access to a free smartphone and fully subsidized plan from TELUS for two years.

“The expansion of our Mobility for Good program into Northern Canada is reflective of TELUS’ long-standing commitment to leveraging our world-leading technology to improve the social, educational and economic outcomes of our fellow Canadians. This is particularly critical as we collectively navigate the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS President and CEO. “Our TELUS team is pleased to extend this vital lifeline to more youth across the country, enabling them to begin their independent lives feeling safer, secure and more connected to the people, resources and opportunities that matter most to our future leaders and change-makers.”

Every year thousands of youth age out of Canada’s child welfare system and are no longer eligible for the government support they had been receiving while in care. With more than 5,400 youth already enrolled nationwide, TELUS Mobility for Good provides youth transitioning from care with a free smartphone and free TELUS mobile rate plan, including unlimited nationwide talk and text and up to 3GB of monthly data usage. While TELUS is providing the service to youth for free, the bills will appear in the youth’s name to help them build positive credit and gain the skills required to manage their finances in the future.

According to a 2019 survey by the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, 85% of youth who participate in TELUS’ Mobility for Good program have found the program helped them connect with family and friends and their support network, relieve financial stress, and access resources in times of crisis. This has become even more critical as financial and socioeconomic pressures have intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic. "The transition out of care is overwhelming mentally and financially. A guaranteed cell phone plan ensured I had access to a vast amount of resources for two years, which helped ease my transition out of care,” said Suzie Brooks, former youth in care. “I had so many other responsibilities and felt so alone handling them, so the TELUS Mobility for Good program helped me when I needed it most."