employee future benefits - Defined contribution pension plans (Details) - plan	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Defined contribution pension plans
Number of defined contribution plans	3
Matching contribution up to employees' 5% contribution	100.00%	100.00%
Employer matching contribution for employee contributions between 5% and 6% of employee's contribution of pensionable earnings	80.00%	80.00%
Minimum
Defined contribution pension plans
Employees contribution to the plan (as a per cent)	3.00%	3.00%
Employees' contribution 80% matched (as a per cent)	5.00%	5.00%
Maximum
Defined contribution pension plans
Employees contribution to the plan (as a per cent)	10.00%	10.00%
Employees' contribution 100% matched (as a per cent)	5.00%	5.00%
Employees' contribution 80% matched (as a per cent)	6.00%	6.00%

The percentage of employer matching contribution up to employee's 5% contribution to defined contribution plan.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The percentage of employees contribution to defined contribution plan that is 80% matched by the entity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
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- Definition

The percentage of employees contribution to defined contribution plan that is fully matched by the entity.

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No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tu_DefinedContributionPercentageOfEmployeesContributionMatchFullyByEmployer
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Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of employee gross pay the employee may contribute to a defined contribution plan.

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No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tu_DefinedContributionPlanAnnualContributionsPerEmployeePercent
Namespace Prefix:	tu_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage employer matches of the employee's percentage contribution matched between 5% and 6%.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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No definition available.

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Name:	tu_IfrsDefinedContributionPlanLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of defined contribution pension plans offered by the entity to eligible employees.

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No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

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