TELUS to provide free smartphones and data plans to youth leaving foster care in Prince Edward Island

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

CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island, Sept. 08, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beginning today, young people who have aged out of foster care in Prince Edward Island 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 Prince Edward Island 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.