The telecom giant will make the investments over three years. On Friday, Xplornet announced it will spend $500 million over five years on rural internet. The investments follow a November 2018 auditor general’s report saying Ottawa had “no plan” to get high-speed internet, despite spending years working with telecoms to do so. (The Logic)

Talking point: Both Telus and Xplornet are using the federal government’s new Accelerated Investment Incentive, which incentivizes companies to make large capital investments by letting them claim a first-year deduction on that spending three times the regular amount. Telus, however, will be using the savings to invest in communities the government designates as underserved. It’s a smart branding move for the company, but it’s also a savvy business decision. Underserved communities are the ones that need the types of services Telus sells. In addition, the government often provides financial support for telecoms that invest in underserved communities.