Telus connects over 10,000 Red Deer homes to fibre-optic network
Telus says its PureFibre buildout in Red Deer is ahead of schedule, with 95 per cent of homes and businesses now reached by infrastructure.
Telus has connected more than 10,000 homes in Red Deer to fibre-optic internet over the past year as part of a project announced in May 2025 with the City of Red Deer and F3 Networks. The $168 million investment is bringing PureFibre service to the community, with company officials saying they are on track to finish the buildout by the end of 2029 and expect 15,000 homes connected by the end of this year.
Brian Bettis, Telus's Vice President of Customer and Community Growth, said 95 per cent of premises in Red Deer, including both homes and businesses, have now been reached, with infrastructure also being laid for future development. He noted global demand tied to data centres has created unusual pressure on fibre-optic cable supply, though work continues. Telus is also progressing on a similar build in Sylvan Lake, and Bettis said the company's short Alberta construction season, roughly April until the first hard freeze, means more homes are now coming online.
Telus representatives marked the milestone in Red Deer on Friday with a community barbecue that included a $2,500 donation to the Red Deer Food Bank. Executive director Mitch Thomson said the donation would provide milk for 500 households for a month. He said the food bank is holding steady for now but is watchful heading into fall, a period when donations typically slow before picking up again at Christmas, citing concerns about tariffs and shifting employment conditions.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.