In a bold strategic maneuver that sent ripples through Canada’s telecommunications landscape this morning, Telus Corp. announced plans to buy back complete ownership of Telus International in a deal industry analysts value at approximately $3.8 billion. The proposal, which comes just four years after Telus International’s 2021 IPO, marks a significant shift in corporate strategy for one of Canada’s telecommunications giants.
“This acquisition represents a natural evolution in our corporate structure,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO of Telus, in a statement released today. “By bringing Telus International fully back under our corporate umbrella, we’re positioning ourselves to deliver more integrated digital solutions and enhanced customer experiences across all our business segments.”
The deal offers Telus International shareholders a 28% premium over yesterday’s closing price, valuing shares at $24.50 each—a figure that quickly sparked debate among market watchers about whether the offer adequately reflects the subsidiary’s growth potential. The announcement triggered an immediate 22% surge in Telus International’s stock price during early trading, while Telus Corp. shares initially dipped 1.7% before stabilizing.
For Telus, this move appears strategically timed. The parent company currently holds a 55% ownership stake in Telus International, which specializes in digital customer experience innovation and AI-driven solutions. The subsidiary has recently faced headwinds with three consecutive quarters of slower-than-expected growth and increasing pressure from emerging competitors in the digital transformation space.
Desjardins analyst Jerome Dubreuil noted that the proposed buyback “reflects Telus’s confidence in its digital capabilities while addressing investor concerns about Telus International’s recent performance challenges.” The transaction would eliminate the structural complexity of having a publicly traded subsidiary and potentially unlock operational efficiencies estimated at $175 million annually, according to company projections.
The proposal comes amid a broader industry trend of telecommunications companies vertically integrating their digital services capabilities. As reported on CO24 Business, competing firms like BCE and Rogers have made similar moves to strengthen their digital portfolios through strategic acquisitions in recent months.
The transaction requires approval from both regulatory authorities and Telus International’s minority shareholders, with a special committee of independent directors established to evaluate the offer. Market analysts expect the process to face scrutiny, particularly regarding employee impacts across Telus International’s global workforce of approximately 70,000 team members.
“The key question for investors isn’t just about the price point,” explains technology investment specialist Mona Zhang of RBC Capital Markets. “It’s whether Telus can successfully integrate these operations while maintaining the innovative culture that made Telus International attractive in the first place.”
For employees, customers, and shareholders, the next six months will be crucial as the proposal moves through approval processes. If successful, the deal would be finalized by early 2026, completing Telus’s transformation into what Entwistle describes as “a fully integrated telecommunications and digital solutions powerhouse.”
As Canada’s telecommunications landscape continues to evolve, this move by Telus represents not just a corporate restructuring but a strategic bet on the increasing convergence of traditional telecom services with digital experience solutions—a trend CO24 Breaking News has tracked across multiple sectors throughout 2025.
The question remains whether Telus’s consolidation move will trigger similar actions among competitors, potentially reshaping the entire Canadian telecommunications competitive landscape for years to come.
