Letter from Shaw regarding Network Infrastructure

November 24, 2022

Mayor Sid Tobias Town of View Royal 45 View Royal Avenue Victoria, BC V9B 1A6

Dear Mayor Sid Tobias and Members of Council,

On behalf of the Shaw team, we congratulate you for your appointment to council. We appreciate the work of local governments in building safe, sustainable, prosperous communities across the province. We recognize access to high-speed internet and cellular services is vital to growing communities. Our relationship with local government is important as we operate network infrastructure, delivering Gig-speed internet, public WiFi and cellular service to communities across British Columbia.

For more than 50 years, Shaw and our committed team of thousands of employees successfully built and operated our businesses. But with 5G and other next-generation technologies on the horizon, we have decided that our businesses require more scale and capital to make the generational investments necessary to compete effectively in the long term while meeting our customers’ evolving needs.

We need to find new homes for our businesses and that’s why we have embarked on a series of transactions that will see Rogers acquire our wireline business and Quebecor, owner of Videotron, acquire our wireless business. We believe that these transactions will increase investment, competition, and choice across Canada.

With respect to our wireline business, a combined Rogers and Shaw will have the resources and assets to make the investments required to create a truly national connectivity provider that can grow and compete in British Columbia. With respect to our wireless business, Shaw will divest of Freedom Mobile to Quebecor. This will create a fourth wireless carrier that has a better capital position and operating advantages, that will allow them to sustainably invest and compete for the long-term.

We encourage local governments to reach out and let us know how our network infrastructure investments could support local broadband strategies, economic and social initiatives, or access to emergency services. If you have any questions, or seek additional information, please reach out to Kiersten Enemark, Government Relations Director, B.C. at Kiersten.Enemark@sjrb.ca

Best Regards,

Chima Nkemdirim, Q.C. VP Government Relations

Kiersten Enemark Government Relations Director, B.C.

cc: CAO, Kim Anema