About Us

Since our founding in 1902, Tbaytel has grown to become the largest independently owned telecommunications provider in Canada. We recognize the importance of evolution and innovation, and are committed to providing customers across northern Ontario with the best telecommunications services available to them where they live.

Read more about who we are

Tbaytels 2023 Community Report

Community report

We are pleased to share with you, our valued customers and community, The Future is Now: 2023 Tbaytel Report to the Community, highlighting a number of Tbaytel’s accomplishments from throughout 2023, as well as our strategic direction and key financial information.

Community report

Our promise

We take care of our neighbourhood.


Our mission, vision, and values

Our mission:

To provide an exceptional customer experience through the delivery of advanced, competitively priced communication solutions by investing in communities, technology and people.

Our vision:

To enhance the lives of everyone in our neighbourhood

Our values:

  • We are one team acting with respect and integrity for our customers, co-workers, partners and shareholder
  • We build stronger communities
  • Health & Safety will never be compromised

Corporate Objectives

Generate

a sustainable rate of return; sufficient to justify the risk of ownership

Contribute

an annual dividend to the City of Thunder Bay

Provide

advanced, competitively priced telecommunications solutions

Invest

in a telecommunications infrastructure that supports economic growth

Ensure

Thunder Bay and Northern Ontario benefit from direct and indirect employment opportunities and other economic impacts

Our history

For over a century, Tbaytel has been proudly providing telecommunications services in Thunder Bay and northern Ontario. Much has happened since the company was first established in 1902, but for every significant milestone in the evolution of the telecommunications industry, Tbaytel has been at the forefront, bringing our customers the most current, cutting edge technology.

From October 1902, when the first official telephone call took place between the mayors of Port Arthur and Fort William, onward, Tbaytel has been fulfilling our commitment to help the people in our neighbourhood connect to the world.

In 1970, after 60 years of debate, Port Arthur and Fort William formally merged in 1970, to form Thunder Bay, and Tbaytel became a city department.

Over the next 40 years, this had a profound impact on the community, especially in the late 1990s when Tbaytel began to give back to the City of Thunder Bay, with an annual dividend of approximately $3 million. Today this annual fixed dividend has increased to $18 million. In recent years, Tbaytel has made some of its most significant achievements to date – including the introduction of cellular service in 1990, dial up Internet in 1996, followed by high-speed Internet service in 2000, the introduction of security services in 1997, TV service in 2010, and most recently the evolution of our wireless network to LTE capabilities and the realization of the future of broadband through the deployment of Tbaytel Fibre in 2014 and the launch of Gigabit Internet in 2018.

More than a century later, the tradition of working with our customers to provide technology that gives them the best possible experience is still going strong. Stay tuned—we’re just getting started.

We're in the Neighbourhood

As a locally owned and operated company, we take care of our neighbourhood. Tbaytel is committed to providing high-quality telecommunications solutions for customers across northern Ontario, and investing in the people and organizations dedicated to making our communities better and brighter for everyone.

Tbaytel for Good

At Tbaytel, we are dedicated to being a good neighbour and giving back to the communities that support us. That's why we provide over $550,000 of support annually to over 150 organizations to ensure their good work can continue. We're in it together. Learn about the many ways that we take care of our neighbourhood at tbaytelforgood.net

Wake the giant

Community Sponsorship

Tbaytel has a long history of supporting incorporated non-profit and registered charities through Community Sponsorships for events, programs, activities and fundraisers.

Visit tbaytelforgood.net to learn more about our sponsorship program, including how to apply.

Tbaytel's mask donation

Community Fund

Through our Tbaytel for Good Community Fund campaign, Tbaytel provides financial support for people or groups across our serving territory that are looking to make a positive difference in their community.

Visit tbaytelforgood.net to learn more about the Community Fund.

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