Telus and Canada Soccer have signed a multi-year deal, with the telecom to become the Official Telecommunications, Digital Health, and Home Security Partner for the country’s national soccer teams.
This partnership starts in 2024 and will make Telus the title partner of the Telus Canadian Championship, the leading club competition in the nation.
Moreover, Telus is set to be the title partner of the Telus She CAN Coach Program, a nationwide initiative aimed at the recruitment, development, and training of female soccer coaches. The partnership will enable both organizations to bring about significant change through community initiatives and programs focusing on youth and women.
“We are proud to welcome Telus to the Canada Soccer family and excited to work together to elevate our premier club competition nationally,” expressed Jason deVos, Canada Soccer General Secretary. He emphasized the crucial role of corporate partners like Telus in promoting soccer and investing in gender equity in Canada.
“As a proudly Canadian, global technology company, we’re focused on connecting Canadians to the people and activities they’re passionate about, bringing communities together and keeping them connected to what matters most,” said Jill Schnarr, Chief Social Innovation, Communications and Brand Officer, Telus, in a statement.
Designed to counter the gender gap in sports, where less than 1% of women in Canada currently work as professional coaches or occupy decision-making roles on national and provincial boards, the Telus She CAN Coach Program will launch in Alberta and Nova Scotia. The program will start recruiting coaches in September 2023, with the full programming commencing in January 2024.
In conjunction with the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Telus is launching several initiatives to support the Women’s National Team and advance gender equity in the sport. Telus will donate $1,000 for each goal Canada scores during the tournament, up to $20,000, to EqualPlayFC, an organization focused on improving conditions for women and girls in soccer.
In collaboration with Canada Soccer, Telus is initiating a drive encouraging fans to donate gently used soccer equipment at select 2023 Canada Soccer and Canadian Premier League events. The collected equipment will be redistributed to underprivileged communities across the country, eliminating economic barriers and fostering broader participation in soccer.
