Thunder Bay homeowner says consultation for cell towers inadequate
Paula Adams objects to 50-metre cell tower planned for next door
A homeowner in a rural section of Thunder Bay hopes council heard her request Monday night to stand up to the development of more cell phone towers in residential areas.
Paula Adams said she is unhappy with the consultation process provided by Tbaytel.
She said the company already had a contract in place, and built a road into a cell tower site near her home before public consultation started.
Adams called on city council to re-examine its process before approving the location of more cell towers in the city.
"It seems to me that if people can go ahead and push 50-metre cell towers in without consultation, it just seems wrong that there's not more of a process."
Adams and her husband bought a new house on Hazelwood Drive in the spring, not realizing Tbaytel was planning to construct the tower on a piece of land leased on a next-door neighbour's property.
When Adams found out about Tbaytel's plans several months ago, she reached out to Industry Canada. She said it told her council can instruct the phone company to put the tower somewhere else.
"There seems to be an impression [within council] that the decision is entirely a federal government one," Adams told CBC News.
Health concerns
Adams said she has concerns about the long-term health effects of a cell tower close to her home.
Tbaytel spokeswoman Katie Crowe said the company does broad consultation before construction, and approval needs to come from the city, as the utility's owner.
"They have the responsibility of looking at all of the information we put in front of them, and then the municipality ultimately makes that decision," Crowe said.
A final decision is expected within the month.