v3.24.2.u1
property, plant and equipment (Details) - CAD ($)
$ in Millions
 3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Jun. 30, 2023
Jun. 30, 2024
Jun. 30, 2023
Dec. 31, 2023
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     $ 17,248    
Depreciation $ 608 $ 598 1,298 $ 1,238  
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 17,226   17,226    
Impairment of real estate right-of-use lease assets     97    
Contractual commitments for the acquisition of property, plant and equipment 271   271   $ 297
Owned assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     14,714    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 14,605   14,605    
Owned assets | Network assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     11,900    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 11,819   11,819    
Owned assets | Buildings and leasehold improvements          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     1,426    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 1,340   1,340    
Owned assets | Computer hardware and other          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     616    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 529   529    
Owned assets | Land          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     83    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 83   83    
Owned assets | Assets under construction          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     689    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 834   834    
Right-of-use lease assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     2,534    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 2,621   2,621    
Right-of-use lease assets | Network assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     1,136    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 1,256   1,256    
Right-of-use lease assets | Real estate          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     1,330    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 1,294   1,294    
Right-of-use lease assets | Other          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     68    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 71   71    
Cost/Gross amount          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     47,408    
Additions     1,326    
Additions arising from business acquisitions     2    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (1,201)    
Net foreign exchange differences     36    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 47,571   47,571    
Cost/Gross amount | Owned assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     43,598    
Additions     919    
Additions arising from business acquisitions     1    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (1,161)    
Net foreign exchange differences     21    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 43,378   43,378    
Cost/Gross amount | Owned assets | Network assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     37,154    
Additions     461    
Assets under construction put into service     227    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (971)    
Net foreign exchange differences     2    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 36,873   36,873    
Cost/Gross amount | Owned assets | Buildings and leasehold improvements          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     3,830    
Additions     14    
Assets under construction put into service     21    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (96)    
Net foreign exchange differences     6    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 3,775   3,775    
Cost/Gross amount | Owned assets | Computer hardware and other          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     1,842    
Additions     20    
Additions arising from business acquisitions     1    
Assets under construction put into service     31    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (94)    
Net foreign exchange differences     13    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 1,813   1,813    
Cost/Gross amount | Owned assets | Land          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     83    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 83   83    
Cost/Gross amount | Owned assets | Assets under construction          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     689    
Additions     424    
Assets under construction put into service     (279)    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 834   834    
Cost/Gross amount | Right-of-use lease assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     3,810    
Additions     407    
Additions arising from business acquisitions     1    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (40)    
Net foreign exchange differences     15    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 4,193   4,193    
Cost/Gross amount | Right-of-use lease assets | Network assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     1,308    
Additions     211    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 1,519   1,519    
Cost/Gross amount | Right-of-use lease assets | Real estate          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     2,386    
Additions     175    
Additions arising from business acquisitions     1    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (21)    
Net foreign exchange differences     15    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 2,556   2,556    
Cost/Gross amount | Right-of-use lease assets | Other          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     116    
Additions     21    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (19)    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period 118   118    
Accumulated depreciation          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     (30,160)    
Depreciation     1,298    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (1,132)    
Net foreign exchange differences     19    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period (30,345)   (30,345)    
Accumulated depreciation | Owned assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     (28,884)    
Depreciation     977    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (1,101)    
Net foreign exchange differences     13    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period (28,773)   (28,773)    
Accumulated depreciation | Owned assets | Network assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     (25,254)    
Depreciation     784    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (986)    
Net foreign exchange differences     2    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period (25,054)   (25,054)    
Accumulated depreciation | Owned assets | Buildings and leasehold improvements          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     (2,404)    
Depreciation     95    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (67)    
Net foreign exchange differences     3    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period (2,435)   (2,435)    
Accumulated depreciation | Owned assets | Computer hardware and other          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     (1,226)    
Depreciation     98    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (48)    
Net foreign exchange differences     8    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period (1,284)   (1,284)    
Accumulated depreciation | Right-of-use lease assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     (1,276)    
Depreciation     321    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (31)    
Net foreign exchange differences     6    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period (1,572)   (1,572)    
Accumulated depreciation | Right-of-use lease assets | Network assets          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     (172)    
Depreciation     92    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (1)    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period (263)   (263)    
Accumulated depreciation | Right-of-use lease assets | Real estate          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     (1,056)    
Depreciation     219    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (19)    
Net foreign exchange differences     6    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period (1,262)   (1,262)    
Accumulated depreciation | Right-of-use lease assets | Other          
property, plant and equipment          
Property, plant and equipment at beginning of period     (48)    
Depreciation     10    
Dispositions, retirements and other     (11)    
Property, plant and equipment at end of period $ (47)   $ (47)