v3.19.2

financing costs (Details) - CAD ($) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Jun. 30, 2019 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Jun. 30, 2019 | Jun. 30, 2018
Interest expense |  |  |  |
Interest on long-term debt, excluding lease liabilities - gross | $ 161 | $ 151 | $ 311 | $ 295
Interest on long-term debt, excluding lease liabilities - capitalized | (4) |  | (4) |
Interest on long-term debt, excluding lease liabilities | 157 | 151 | 307 | 295
Interest on lease liabilities | 16 |  | 32 |
Interest on short-term borrowings and other | 3 | (1) | 8 | 1
Interest accretion on provisions | 5 | 6 | 11 | 10
Total | 181 | 156 | 358 | 306
Employee defined benefit plans net interest |  | 3 |  | 7
Foreign exchange | 11 | (6) | 4 | (2)
Total | 192 | 153 | 362 | 311
Interest income | (3) | (3) | (5) | (5)
Net | $ 189 | $ 150 | $ 357 | $ 306
Composite interest rate on long-term debt, excluding lease liabilities (as a percent) | 4.33% | 4.33% | 4.33% | 4.33%

X
- Definition The weighted average of interest and other costs that an entity incurs in connection with the borrowing of funds applicable to the borrowings of the entity that are outstanding during the period, other than borrowings made specifically for the purpose of obtaining a qualifying asset. [Refer: Weighted average [member]; Borrowings] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 23 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 26 -Subparagraph b -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=23&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_26_b&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_CapitalisationRateOfBorrowingCostsEligibleForCapitalisation
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of costs associated with financing activities of the entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 82 -Subparagraph b -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_82_b&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_FinanceCosts
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_InterestCostsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of expense arising from interest. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 8 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 23 -Subparagraph d -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_23_d&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 8 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph e -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_28_e&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 12 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph B13 -Subparagraph f -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=12&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_B13_f&doctype=Appendix&seq=2 -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_InterestExpense
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The increase (decrease) in the net defined benefit liability (asset) resulting from the passage of time. [Refer: Interest expense; Net defined benefit liability (asset)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 19 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 141 -Subparagraph b -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=19&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_141_b&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_InterestExpenseIncomeNetDefinedBenefitLiabilityAsset
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of interest expense on borrowings. [Refer: Interest expense; Borrowings] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 112 -Subparagraph c -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_112_c&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_InterestExpenseOnBorrowings
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of interest expense on lease liabilities. [Refer: Lease liabilities] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Note Effective 2019-01-01 -Name IFRS -Number 16 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 53 -Subparagraph b -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=16&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_53_b&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_InterestExpenseOnLeaseLiabilities
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of income arising from interest. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 8 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 23 -Subparagraph c -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_23_c&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 8 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph e -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=8&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_28_e&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 12 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph B13 -Subparagraph e -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=12&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_B13_e&doctype=Appendix&seq=2 -URIDate 2018-03-16 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 112 -Subparagraph c -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_112_c&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_RevenueFromInterest
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of trading income (expense) relating to foreign exchange contracts. [Refer: Trading income (expense)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 1 -IssueDate 2018-01-01 -Paragraph 112 -Subparagraph c -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=1&date=2018-03-01&anchor=para_112_c&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2018-03-16 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TradingIncomeExpenseOnForeignExchangeContracts
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of interest expense related to short-term debt. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | tu_InterestExpenseOnBorrowingsAndOtherShortTerm
Namespace Prefix: | tu_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of interest expense related to long-term debt, net of interest capitalized to indefinite-lived intangible assets, excluding lease liabilities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | tu_InterestExpenseOnBorrowingsLongTermExcludingLeaseLiabilities
Namespace Prefix: | tu_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The capitalized interest expense on long-term debt, excluding interest on lease liabilities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | tu_InterestExpenseOnBorrowingsLongTermExcludingLeaseLiabilitiesCapitalized
Namespace Prefix: | tu_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of interest expense related to long-term debt, net of interest capitalized to indefinite-lived intangible assets, excluding lease liabilities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | tu_InterestExpenseOnBorrowingsLongTermExcludingLeaseLiabilitiesGross
Namespace Prefix: | tu_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of interest expense related to provisions. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | tu_InterestExpenseProvisions
Namespace Prefix: | tu_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration