SaskTel moving ahead on connectivity and sustainability, says CEO Charlene Gavel

Charlene Gavel could be considered a lifer at Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. After serving as CFO of SaskTel International, she moved over to the main company, acting as CFO for nine years. One year ago, she was named president and CEO of the prairie telecom. Gavel has overseen an expansion of connectivity in the province. Currently Saskatchewanians receive 99 per cent cell phone coverage and 85 per cent 5G broadband access, according to the company. Saskatchewan has a large land mass but only a population of approximately 1.22 million. “In terms of how we’re handling connectivity, we are really fortunate in that our provincial government is very supportive of ensuring our entire population is well covered,” Gavel tells The Wire Report. “In terms of economies of scale and investment that’s required, it’s greater here in Saskatchewan than it would be in other places that are more densely populated.” The telecom plans to invest $1 billion to get fibre to all parts of the province. Some towns with as few as 115 people are now on the SaskTel grid, she reports. The goal is to have full connectivity by 2030. In August, the company reported that it has become the first telecom player to migrate all 911 communication centres to Next Generation 911 (NG911). That same month, the CRTC mandated that SaskTel, BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. have to share their wholesale fibre with competitors. The prairie telecom told The Wire Report it is still evaluating the decision at this time. SaskTel is the only publicly-owned telecom company in the country. In July, it announced that it had net income of $95.4 million on revenues of $1.35 billion for the fiscal year. It returned a dividend of $38.2 million to the provincial government. The CEO feels its public status is a benefit. “We are unique. We are the last publicly-held, crown corporation telecommunications provider,” Gavel stated. “Given the demographics of our province, the population density of our province, that certainly is an advantage because we do ensure that we’re profitable, we ensure that we’re efficient, and we certainly compete with the other big telcos. But we have the ability to be able to invest in a way that they wouldn’t here.” She is also proud of the fact that the company and its employees are active in the community. “Not only do we invest in the things that SaskTel needs to invest in, but we also are a big part of the province in how we give back as well,” she said. The firm released its sustainability report for the 2023/24 fiscal year in July. Among other things, the study looked at social impact, governance, and protection of the environment. Over the year, the publicly-held telecom contributed $2.96 million to 1,018 groups in 237 communities. SaskTel Pioneers, a collective of current and former employees, gave $211,079 in cash and $828,721 in in-kind donations. The company's worker-driven charitable donation drive, SaskTel TelCare, gave nearly $180,000 to 42 charities and nonprofits in the province. In its maxTV Local on Demand television service, SaskTel invested $2.83 million in 583 programs. Its Indigenous network and the Pioneers together gave $19,800 and 1,977 winter clothing items to youth in need. Most of its suppliers are located within the province of Saskatchewan. Figures released in the report indicated that 69 per cent of suppliers of goods and services are from the province, with another 23.7 per cent in other provinces and only 7.29 per cent outside Canada. Total procurement was $1.07 billion. “Today, approximately 69 per cent of SaskTel’s suppliers are located in-province and we are always looking to grow that number,” Gavel was quoted as saying in the study. To assist lower-income Saskatchewanians, the company has a wireless plan with voice and messaging for $15 per month and a voice, message and data package for $35 a month. Its basic television package sells for $25 each month. “SaskTel made a record investment in our fibre-to-the-premises and fibre-to-the business initiatives in the 2023/24 fiscal year,” chief technology officer Chad Olson reports. “This investment is allowing us to expand our fibre-based network to more communities across Saskatchewan.” The telecom also tracks diversity statistics. Of 3,177 employees, 37 per cent were women; 16 per cent self-identified as visible minorities, 13 per cent said they had a disability; and 10 per cent identified as Indigenous. The firm has a program called "Women in Underrepresented Roles" which seeks to bolster female presence in management, sciences, and trades. It also has such worker groups as the SaskTel Aboriginal Employees Network, the SaskTel Employee Rainbow Alliance for LGBTQI+ workers, and the SaskTel Employee Network on Disability. Gavel plans to stick around to see more progress from the prairie phone company. “I’d like to consider myself pretty young and to have a little bit of runway left here,” she laughs. “And I’m absolutely loving it, so I hope to be here for quite some time." – Reporting by Paul Park at ppark@thewirelessreport.ca

SaskTel moving ahead on connectivity and sustainability, says CEO Charlene Gavel

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By Paul Park
| September 5, 2024

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