Alberta Government Telephones
| Company type | Crown corporation (from 1958) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 1906 |
| Founder | Alexander Cameron Rutherford administration |
| Defunct | 1991 |
| Fate | Privatized and merged into Telus Communications |
| Headquarters | Edmonton , Canada |
| Products | Telephone services |
Alberta Government Telephones (AGT) served as the dominant telephone service provider throughout much of Alberta from its inception in 1906 until 1991.
The creation of AGT was initiated by the Liberal administration led by Alexander Cameron Rutherford in 1906, following the acquisition of multiple independent telephone firms. Two years later, in 1908, AGT expanded its operations by purchasing the Alberta division of the Bell Telephone Company for $675,000. It ultimately provided telephone services to nearly all customers across Alberta, excluding Edmonton, where the system was municipally controlled.
Originally operated under the jurisdiction of the provincial Department of Public Works as a public utility, AGT was transformed into the Alberta Government Telephones Commission, a crown corporation, in 1958. Between 1945 and 1960, AGT also managed CKUA, the province’s educational radio broadcaster.
In 1969, AGT erected Edmonton’s tallest building at that time to serve as its headquarters, which was further enlarged with an additional tower in 1971; this complex is currently identified as ATB Place.
The privatization process for AGT commenced in 1990 during the tenure of Progressive Conservative Premier Don Getty, resulting in the establishment of Telus Communications as a holding entity. By 1991, the provincial government divested its remaining ownership in AGT to Telus for $870 million. Subsequently, in 1995, Telus acquired Edmonton Telephones Corporation (Ed Tel) from municipal authorities; Ed Tel had been created five years earlier through restructuring of a city department. The brands AGT and Ed Tel were discontinued in 1996 when Telus became the unified brand. In 1999, Telus merged with BC Tel, forming the present-day Telus Corporation.