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The amount of payments on leases and subleases recognised as an expense by the lessee.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Expiry date 2019-01-01
-Name IAS
-Number 17
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 35
-Subparagraph c
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=17&date=2018-03-02&anchor=para_35_c&doctype=Standard&book=b
-URIDate 2018-03-16

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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The amount of future minimum lease payments payable under non-cancellable operating leases. Minimum lease payments are payments over the lease term that the lessee is or can be required to make, excluding contingent rent, costs for services and taxes to be paid by, and reimbursed to, the lessor, together with: (a) for a lessee, any amounts guaranteed by the lessee or by a party related to the lessee; or (b) for a lessor, any residual value guaranteed to the lessor by: (i) the lessee; (ii) a party related to the lessee; or (iii) a third party unrelated to the lessor that is financially capable of discharging the obligations under the guarantee.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Note Expiry date 2019-01-01
-Name IAS
-Number 17
-IssueDate 2018-01-01
-Paragraph 35
-Subparagraph a
-URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=17&date=2018-03-02&anchor=para_35_a&doctype=Standard&book=b
-URIDate 2018-03-16

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Commitments under operating leases for occupancy costs.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	tu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Operating leases future minimum payments due.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Occupancy related expense for the reporting period incurred under operating leases, including minimum and any contingent rent expense.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Number of largest leases out of the total population of operating leases.

No definition available.

Name:	tu_NumberOfLargestLeases
Namespace Prefix:	tu_
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The future minimum lease payments due under operating leases expressed as a percentage of the total leases, including arms length leases and leases with related parties.

No definition available.

Name:	tu_PercentageOfMinimumLeasePaymentsDue
Namespace Prefix:	tu_
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Future minimum lease payments due for certain leases expressed as a percentage of total leases.

No definition available.

Name:	tu_PercentageRelatedToCertainLeases
Namespace Prefix:	tu_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Weighted average term of leases.

No definition available.

Name:	tu_WeightedAverageTermOfLeases
Namespace Prefix:	tu_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
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Period Type:	duration

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Data Type:	na
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	ifrs-full_ClassesOfAssetsAxis=tu_OfficePremisesMember
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