The IT Nerd

The research speaks for itself – animals have a profound impact on Canadians’ wellbeing. From this study that shows watching images and videos of animals for just 30 minutes positively affects blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety, or this study that shows those who engaged in a 10-minute interaction with a live animal reported higher levels of contentment, it’s clear we look to critters for comfort and joy. 

TELUS has launched the Critter Comforts video playlist on YouTube and Optik TV, providing Canadians with a healthy dose of relaxation and delight watching their favourite TELUS critters. Watching the playlist won’t just help viewers feel good, it will also do good for animals and the charities that support them: for every view of the Critter Comforts playlist on YouTube, TELUS will give $1, up to $100,000, through the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation, to charities that support service animals, wildlife rehabilitation and animal therapy across the country. 

Similar to the fireplace channel or calming musical playlists, the TELUS Critter Comforts playlist is designed to boost Canadians’ well-being with a warm combination of calm and joy in a convenient, digital way, featuring TELUS’ iconic critters who Canadians have come to know and love. 

To further examine the human-animal bond, and just how much critters mean to us – whether in our homes, on our screens, or in our natural environments – TELUS conducted an online survey (between January 20-27, 2023) surveying a nationally representative random sample of 2,114 Canadians adults. 

Below are the top survey findings. 

Canadians feel that simply watching animal content online has a positive affect on their mood: 

• 63% of Canadians said that videos like TELUS’s Critter Comforts Playlist content improved their mood and made them feel happy (58%), relaxed (48%), and joyful (41%).
• Those who consume animal content online are more likely to feel happiness (80%).
• Top Animal Video Content for Canadians are baby animal videos or photos (52%), pet rescues (51%), or touching and wholesome animal stories (50%). 
• And some believe their pets enjoy entertainment too! 56% of Canadians leave the TV or other entertainment on for their pet when they go out so they don’t feel alone. 

In general, Canadians feel pets are good for their wellbeing: 

• 6-in-10 Canadian households (59%) currently have a pet. 
• Two-thirds of Canadians have a dog, and half of Canadians are cat owners. Other pets include fish, birds, reptiles, farm animals, and squirrels.
• Even non-pet owners agree that having a pet, or interacting with any animal has a positive impact on health and overall wellbeing (83%) with seven-in-ten Canadians noting they spend time in nature to support their mental health (69%). 
• 70% of Canadian pet owners were motivated to get a pet to help with their anxiety and/or depression, to battle their loneliness, or to reduce their stress levels. 
• 94% of Canadian pet owners agree that pet ownership has positively impacted their life, and nearly all pet owners agree that animals have a positive impact on all people’s health and wellbeing. 
• 78% of parents said they were motivated to bring a pet home to their children to help with their children’s loneliness, to help with their anxiety, or to help boost their children’s self-esteem and confidence. 

How regional locations stack-up on all-things-critters: 

• 63% of Canadians said that videos like TELUS’s critter content improved their mood and made them feel happy (58%), relaxed (48%), and joyful (41%). 
  • Quebecers reported to feel happy the least (48%), while Atlantic Canadians felt happy the most (68%). 
• Those living in the Atlantic provinces (63%) and the Prairies (63%) currently have a pet – higher than the national average (59%). 
•  62% of Atlantic Canadians leave the TV or other entertainment on for their pet when they go out. 
• Atlantic Canadians like to watch TV with their pets (77%). 
• Atlantic Canadians are most likely to look to their pets for comfort on emotionally challenging days (77% compared to national average of 66%), with Quebecers least likely to seek solace from their pets (60%). 
• 70% of Canadian pet owners were motivated to get a pet to help with their anxiety and/or depression, to battle their loneliness, or to reduce their stress levels. 
  • Higher in Atlantic – To help with my anxiety and/or depression (27%).
  • Higher in Quebec – Battling loneliness (23%). 
  • Higher in Ontario – To reduce stress levels (35%). 
• British Columbians were more likely to both celebrate their pets ‘gotcha day’ and to take their pet on a play-date to meet other pets, versus any other province (63% and 51% respectively, compared to national averages of 55% and 40% respectively).

The Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced TELUS as the club’s premier partner through 2027. The multi-year partnership brings together two longstanding Vancouver-based organizations with a proven and shared commitment to drive meaningful change in their local communities. 

To kick off the new partnership and 2023 season, Vancouver Whitecaps FC also unveiled its new 2023 jersey today, featuring the iconic TELUS brand. The new ‘Bloodlines’ Jersey shines a light on the pressing need for donors to support Canadian Blood Services, encouraging all Canadians from coast to coast to coast to download the Canadian Blood Services app and learn how they can help save lives.

The new jersey prominently featuring TELUS, will hit the field for the first time at the Whitecaps FC home opener on Saturday, February 25. To celebrate the new partnership, TELUS team members will be giving away co-branded Whitecaps scarves to every fan attending the match.

From February 16 to March 31, fans will be able to register for an account on the Canadian Blood Services app GiveBlood (myaccount.blood.ca) and show it at the Whitecaps FC Official Store or at a home match at BC Place to receive free personalized cresting (name and number) on a 2023 Bloodlines jersey. For more information on how to help support the Canadian Blood Services, visit blood.ca. 

Today, TELUS Friendly Future Foundation launched the “Livable Communities for our Youth” Innovation Challenge, a $1 million funding opportunity to help address some of the most pressing social challenges youth in Canada are facing today, including lack of access to mental health support and housing, low academic achievement and barriers to employment. “Liveable Communities for our Youth” encourages out-of-the-box thinking and collaboration between innovators, entrepreneurs and youth focused charities, connecting them to help meet the needs of Canadian charities overwhelmed with demand. 

The Innovation Challenge uses a unique crowdsourcing platform, HeroX.com, that encourages entrepreneurs and innovators to come forward with new approaches that can help make communities across Canada more livable for youth, in one or more of the following areas: 

• Youth mental health
• Youth homelessness
• Barriers to youth education and employment 
• Making our communities safer and more inclusive for youth

Entrepreneurs, innovators and charities are invited to apply to the “Livable Communities for our Youth” Innovation Challenge until March 31. Up to five winners will be chosen to partner with a registered charity in Canada, with the total prize purse of $1 million being awarded to fund the most compelling approaches.

To learn more visit herox.com/SolutionsForYouth.

As Canadians face mounting economic uncertainty, devastating humanitarian crises and social injustices plaguing communities at home and abroad, TELUS continues to deliver on its commitment of being the Most Giving Company in the world, generously devoting $125 million and 1.44 million volunteer hours last year alone. While leading North American companies invest 1 per cent of pre-tax profits in society, for the third consecutive year, TELUS has invested 5 per cent of its pre-tax profits back in the community. Since 2000, the TELUS family has led with purpose, gifting $1.5 billion in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs, including 2 million days of global volunteerism. 

As urgently highlighted in the most recent Giving Report, issued by Canada Helps, the last 15 years has seen a steady decline in charitable donations by Canadians and this is expected to decline even further as lasting effects of the pandemic, economic uncertainty, geopolitical tensions and inflation continue. Last year’s Giving Report highlighted how one in four Canadians (25 per cent) expect to give less in 2022 than they did in 2021, while in contrast, one in four Canadians (26 per cent) expect to use or are already using charitable services in 2022 for basic necessities. 

While purpose-driven initiatives are often first to see corporate cuts or underfunding during recessionary times, TELUS’ focus on putting ESG and social responsibility at the centre of its business strategy ensures that it can continue to deliver critical and sustainable support for our team, communities and Canadians who need our help now more than ever. 

Over the last three years, TELUS’ giving has steadily increased:

• TELUS Friendly Future Foundation directly impacted the lives of more than 1 million youth in 2022 by granting $10.6 million to 548 charitable organizations. 
• TELUS gave over $30 million in 2022 to establish a new innovative bursary fund to support economically-disadvantaged Canadian youth to get access to a post-secondary education, even if they can’t afford it.
• TELUS enabled $6.6 million in community giving in 2022 for humanitarian and emergency relief around the world, directly helping those impacted by the conflict in Ukraine, Hurricane Fiona and Hurricane Ian, the flooding in Pakistan, and the unrest in Iran.
• Delivering on TELUS’ $10 million commitment to support Indigenous Reconciliation, TELUS has granted donations to 15 community programs supporting food security, cultural revitalization and the health and well-being of Indigenous Peoples across Canada.
• Launching our first-ever summer camp for Canadian youth focused on inclusivity, well-being, and customized nature experiences.
• TELUS has expanded low cost internet, mobility, health and technology programs to support 342,000 marginalized individuals to date, including expanding Internet for Good to thousands of low-income seniors in BC, Alberta, and Quebec; expanding the reach of our Mobility for Good program for government assisted refugees and Mobility for Good for Indigenous Women at risk to Ontario.

To learn more about how TELUS is helping create a friendlier future for all, visit telus.com/purpose.

As a result of the devastating impacts of the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, TELUS is helping their customers stay connected with loved ones during this difficult time. 

Effective immediately, TELUS is waiving all roaming charges for calls, text and data overages for customers currently in Turkey and Syria, as well as long distance home phone, mobile calls and SMS charges for those in Canada reaching out to friends and family in the impacted regions until February 28, 2023. 

TELUS and Koodo customers can support the relief efforts for those impacted by the earthquakes from their personal mobile device by texting DONATE to 41010 to give $20 to TELUS Friendly Future Foundation in support of earthquake relief in Turkey and Syria. 

For more information and new updates on this announcement, follow TELUS on Instagram and check out the TELUS website where they will share the latest information. 

TELUS has been recognized by Corporate Knights in its Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations as the top North American telecommunications company, ranking 37th overall for its global leadership and commitment to building a better, more sustainable future. This improved placement is an increase from 49th in 2022 and 54th in 2021, recognizing TELUS’ ongoing commitment to make sustainability a core part of its business and allocating meaningful resources to reduce its carbon footprint. The Corporate Knights ranking is based on a rigorous assessment of nearly 7,000 public companies with more than US$1 billion in revenues and is one of the world’s most valued and transparent rules-based sustainability ratings. TELUS was also recently recognized on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the 22nd year in a row, leading the Canadian telecommunication industry in environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.

TELUS’ recognition by the Corporate Knights and Dow Jones Sustainability Index follows a number of international accolades recognizing TELUS’ global leadership in sustainability, corporate citizenship, social purpose, and environmental and social reporting, including:

• Received an A- rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), placing in the top 10 per cent globally
• Being named one of Canada’s Top 100 Greenest Employers
• Recognized as the only telecommunications company listed in the Wall Street Journal’s top 100 Most Sustainably Managed Companies in the World
• Awarded the Terra Carta Seal for leadership on climate change energy transition
• Recipient of several 2022 Loyalty360 Awards including the Social Impact and Corporate Social Responsibility and CSR & Social Impact Awards
• Featured in Sustainability Magazine’s Top 100 Companies in Sustainability, ranking 8th
• Recognized by Corporate Knights as one of 2022’s Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada

To learn more about TELUS’ commitment to a more sustainable future, visit telus.com/sustainability.

It’s Data Privacy Week – an issue that is top of mind as federal government is about to discuss.

Bill C-27, proposed to strengthen Canada’s private sector law while ensuring the privacy of Canadians will be protected and that innovative businesses can benefit from clear rules as technology continues to evolve.

In a recent poll, commissioned by TELUS, only 30 per cent of Canadians trust organizations to protect their personal information, and more than half of Canadians feel confident data and technology can be used to positively impact healthcare, education, safety and security. Here’s some other key points from the TELUS Data Trust Survey:

About the survey:

• The purpose of TELUS’ Data Trust Survey was to explore Canadians’ feelings around data privacy and trust to drive conversations in light of rapid digital transformation of our economy and lives.
• Trust, as it pertains to data, is essential to technological and social innovation. With data breaches on the rise, it’s more important than ever for organizations to protect the data entrusted to them and to be transparent about how data is used and protected to maintain and build trust.

Methodology:

• Audience: Responses were nationally representative from 2,016 Canadian adults, 18years of age or older
• Timeframe: August 31, 2022 to September 19, 2022
• Location: Canada
• Language: English, French
• Sample provider: Dynata, Inc.Key Survey Findings

Canadians care about their data privacy.

• 97% of Canadians feel they understand what personal information is.
• More than eight-in-ten claim to understand how their personal information can be usedonline.
• Three-quarters of Canadians take regular steps to protect their personal information.
• More than half are extremely concerned about personal information and online privacy.

Half have experienced a breach, impacting their trust.

• In the last two years, almost half of Canadians experienced some sort of breach.
• Since experiencing a breach, two-thirds of Canadians have become more guarded with their personal information.
• Since experiencing a breach, 30% of Canadians have lost trust with the company associated with the breach.

Canadians believe in the power of technology for good.

• Half of Canadians are extremely excited about technology improvements.
• More than half of Canadians feel confident data and technology can be used topositively impact healthcare, education, safety and security.
• 42% believe that sharing data with trustworthy companies can provide them with usefulproducts and services

Trust matters to Canadians when choosing companies to engage with.

• 79% of Canadians agree that a company’s reputation for how it treats personal information and privacy changes the way they think about the company or brand.
• 62% are more likely to buy products or use services from companies they trust.
• Only 31% trust organizations to protect their personal information.
• Nearly one-quarter of Canadians say they don’t trust telecoms, 14% say they don’t trustvirtual care providers.

The University of Windsor (UWindsor) and TELUS today announced the launch of a 5G connected campus and commercial lab to support advanced research with 5G technology and establish the university as a go-to centre for innovation. TELUS, a world-leading communications technology company, is investing $5 million as part of a multi-year agreement that began in 2020 to fuel the development of new applications for 5G technology. The collaboration will not only support multidisciplinary research in the agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) sectors, but will transform UWindsor campuses to enhance teaching, innovation and collaboration.

Beyond the development of the 5G commercial lab, the central space in the Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering and Innovation will be named the TELUS Atrium. The area is fostering collaborative concept discovery, ideation and creativity as students and researchers build solutions that meet today’s global challenges. Initial joint projects include:

Equipping connected vehicles for cross-border travel using 5G

• Working with the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and policy makers to better equip connected vehicles to solve cross border challenges, including congestion and supply chain obstacles, using 5G.

Developing new cybersecurity applications for connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) 

• In collaboration with Mitacs, a nonprofit national research organization, this project will explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning to identify potential vulnerabilities and access points in CAVs, enhancing safety and security.

Exploring the effective use of AI and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors in high-tech greenhouses to enable more efficient food production

• UWindsor has partnered with Horteca to launch a two-acre, fully-operational connected research greenhouse in Harrow, Ontario. Using 5G network technology, the greenhouse will use IoT and compute capabilities to make food production more scalable, while reducing cost and footprint.

TELUS’ next generation networks are unleashing human productivity and contributing to improved health and educational outcomes, supporting environmental sustainability, fostering entrepreneurship, bridging the socio-economic divide, and driving economic growth. The agreement will build on the strength of existing partnerships to provide UWindsor and industry and community partners with the infrastructure, expertise and processes to enable new collaborations driving future public-cooperation agreements.

The TELUS 5G network currently reaches approximately 80 per cent of the Canadian population from coast-to-coast as part of its significant $70 billion investment to further develop infrastructure and operations through 2026, demonstrating its commitment to connecting Canadians and driving remarkable social outcomes in our communities. To learn more about TELUS’ 5G network visit telus.com/network.

To learn more about UWindsor’s research and innovation programs, visit http://uwindsor.ca/research-partnerships.

The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing (CCAW), a new not-for-profit organization launched on November 17, 2022, is on a mission to support farmers and their families with a research-to-action approach to mental health. With TELUS Health’s expertise and proven ability to deliver, the CCAW has welcomed them as the exclusive clinical and technology provider for Canadian farmers who are facing catastrophic events, as well as for farmers who don’t have access to provincial and federal programming.

From floods, to pandemics and supply chain disruptions, farmers face many uncontrollable and unforeseen events that can impact their mental health. These types of events often result in higher than average rates of stress, anxiety, depression and other mental health issues among farmers. According to the 2019 Report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, 45% of farmers reported high stress levels, and 45% indicated they would not reach out for help if they were in need, due to the stigma around mental health.

The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing is a research-to-action organization supporting farm mental health across Canada. For more information visit www.ccaw.ca.

As Spring Activator‘s Women-led Impact Investor Challenge, presented by the TELUS Pollinator Fund came to a close Tuesday evening, we are excited to announce Dr. Karolina Valente of Voxcell BioInnovation Inc. was awarded a $100k+ investment from a cohort of both experienced and emerging impact investors.  

VoxCell BioInnovation Inc. is creating fully vascularized, human-like cancer tissue models by combining a custom high-resolution 3D bioprinter, advanced vascularization software, and proprietary bioinks. VoxCell aims to accelerate the development of life-saving anti-cancer drugs by providing tissue models that can identify viable candidates earlier in the drug-development pipeline.

The Impact Investor Challenge was created to help impact-driven businesses receive the capital and knowledge needed to succeed.The Pitch Finale is the pivotal moment in which we collectively make this happen for one impact venture! 

More details can be found here.