share-based compensation - Expense (Details) - CAD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
share-based compensation
Employee benefits expense	$ 244	$ 173
Associated operating cash outflows	(105)	(146)
Statement of cash flows adjustment	139	27
TELUS technology solutions
share-based compensation
Employee benefits expense	150	135
Associated operating cash outflows	(44)	(123)
Statement of cash flows adjustment	106	12
Digitally-led customer experiences
share-based compensation
Employee benefits expense	94	38
Associated operating cash outflows	(61)	(23)
Statement of cash flows adjustment	33	15
Restricted share units
share-based compensation
Employee benefits expense	185	131
Associated operating cash outflows	(35)	(109)
Statement of cash flows adjustment	150	22
Restricted share units \| Restructuring \| Digitally-led customer experiences
share-based compensation
Employee benefits expense	178
Employee share purchase plan
share-based compensation
Employee benefits expense	41	33
Associated operating cash outflows	(41)	(33)
Share option awards
share-based compensation
Employee benefits expense	18	9
Associated operating cash outflows	(29)	(4)
Statement of cash flows adjustment	(11)	$ 5
Share option awards \| Restructuring \| Digitally-led customer experiences
share-based compensation
Employee benefits expense	$ 17

Adjustments for share-based payments to reconcile profit (loss) to net cash flow from (used in) operating activities. [Refer: Profit (loss)]

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name IAS
-Number 7
-IssueDate 2021-01-01
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph b
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=7&code=ifrs-tx-2021-en-r&anchor=para_20_b&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2021-03-24

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_AdjustmentsForSharebasedPayments
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_DisclosureOfTermsAndConditionsOfSharebasedPaymentArrangementLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of expense arising from equity-settled share-based payment transactions in which the goods or services received did not qualify for recognition as assets. [Refer: Expense from share-based payment transactions]

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Name IFRS
-Number 2
-IssueDate 2021-01-01
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=2&code=ifrs-tx-2021-en-r&anchor=para_51_a&doctype=Standard
-URIDate 2021-03-24

+ Details

Name:	ifrs-full_ExpenseFromEquitysettledSharebasedPaymentTransactionsInWhichGoodsOrServicesReceivedDidNotQualifyForRecognitionAsAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ifrs-full_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash outflows associated with expense from share-based payment transactions.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tu_OperatingCashOutflowsAssociatedWithExpenseFromSharebasedPayment
Namespace Prefix:	tu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_SegmentsAxis=tu_TelusTechnologySolutionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_SegmentsAxis=tu_DigitallyLedCustomerExperiencesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TypesOfSharebasedPaymentArrangementsAxis=tu_IfrsRestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_AttributionOfExpensesByNatureToTheirFunctionAxis=tu_RestructuringCostsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TypesOfSharebasedPaymentArrangementsAxis=tu_EmployeeSharePurchasePlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	ifrs-full_TypesOfSharebasedPaymentArrangementsAxis=tu_IfrsEmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: