Telus demands stricter enforcement as copper thefts rise in Calgary
Ghosh also noted that only a sliver of the population struggling with addiction will ever resort to crime.
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'About 20 per cent of the population has a substance use concern, whether an addiction to nicotine, cannabis, alcohol, whatever,' he said. 'And we know a very small minority of that population engages in criminal activity.'
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And those who do, have their nervous system hijacked by the substances, which trick the individuals into believing they are necessary for their survival.
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'It's not a moral failing,' Ghosh said. 'It's their instinct to survive that's causing them to do this.'
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Wilsher added that these crimes help the perpetrator yield somewhere between $20 and $50, and the risks outweigh any potential benefits.
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'They do run the risk of lethal electric shock,' he said. 'It wouldn't be the first time that we've arrived and found the offenders seriously injured as they've tried to steal some of this copper.'
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The damage caused by these thefts is also much higher than the proceeds of the crimes.
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'You've got seniors living alone who can't call out; care homes are taken down, businesses can't process payments; students miss classes,' Martin said.
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Wilsher said CPS regularly work with Telus and other companies to prevent such incidents.
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However, Martin said more needs to be done. For instance, suspects who are caught are usually charged with theft under $5,000, which doesn't reflect the damage inflicted on the infrastructure.
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Telus also called for stricter penalties, tighter regulations and increased vigilance for these thefts, while stating it's working with local police to investigate the incidents.
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Martin said she feels reassured by the recent tabling of provincial legislation that, if passed, would impose requirements on scrap dealers to examine some documentation before buying any metals.
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Alberta RCMP also launched an initiative last year called Operations Copper, in which they work with industry partners 'to investigate, identify and ultimately arrest the individuals who are causing the most harm related to copper wire and precious metal thefts.'
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'We are very much in favour of stronger deterrence, and that's tougher penalties for theft and the resale of stolen metal, more oversight on scrap metal dealers and better coordination with law enforcement for repeat offenders and organized groups,' Martin said.
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Calgary copper thefts are becoming an epidemic, Telus officials say
Telus Communications said since July 10, 2025, there have been seven incidents of copper wire theft in Calgary targeting its lines. A telecommunications giant says it's reeling after several copper wire thefts have impacted services for thousands of its customers. Telus Communications said since July 10, there have been seven incidents in Calgary that have impacted more than 3,500 customers. Those services include wireline voice services, internet and television signals. The outages have hit communities all across the city such as Crowchild, Signal Hill, Lynnwood, Ogden, Killarney and Bowness. The company said the thefts are becoming a big concern for some Calgarians. 'In certain situations, people might not be able to call 911, such as seniors living alone or in care homes might not be able to reach families or first responders,' said Anne Martin, Telus' vice-president of network engineering and operations. In addition, officials say thieves are inflicting a lot of damage when they seek out the copper they're looking for, cutting through fiber-optic cables – wiring that has no commodity value – in the process, exacerbating the problem for the company. Telus says it's taking steps to protect critical cable connections such as welding manhole covers shut and installing additional security measures to prevent thefts. In the meantime, additional crews have been brought into the city from other provinces to repair the damage that's been done. That work has been ongoing 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Telus said. 'This spike in criminal activity underscores an urgent need for stricter penalties, tighter regulations, increased vigilance and collaborative efforts between service providers, legislators, law enforcement and the public in order to stop these crimes from happening,' officials said. 'We are actively working with police to investigate all of these thefts and we urge the public to stay vigilant.' Calgary police say thieves are often taking advantage of easy-to-access areas, especially those in secluded areas of buildings. They urge businesses to take steps such as: securing the area by installing fencing or locked cages around outdoor HVAC units; installing motion-activated or dusk-to-dawn lights to illuminate HVAC and utility areas, as thieves prefer to operate in the dark; paint the cooper piping black or mark it with a unique identifier to make it harder to sell and look less attractive to thieves; installing surveillance cameras aimed at critical infrastructure to deter criminals and assist investigators if a theft occurs; conducting routine business property inspections, particularly after long weekends or off-hours; and consider hiring private security companies to patrol the area regularly for increased security. Telus urges anyone to report anything suspicious to your local police, Crime Stoppers or contact Telus directly by calling 310-CUTS (2887).
