ELORA – Centre Wellington council has given its “okay” for a proposed telecommunication tower at 5951 Highway 6.
“There is a process where Industry Canada regulates the telecommunication industry in Canada and they are the approval authority for telecommunication towers,” explained Brett Salmon, managing director of planning and development at the April 23 committee of the whole meeting.
“In this case, this is a cell phone tower that is proposed and as part of the process the proponent requests what’s called municipal concurrence.”
Signum Wireless plans to put a cell phone tower on Pine Tree Pet Centre land, south of Ennotville.
“If we deny concurrence Industry Canada can still approve the tower because they’re the approval authority,” Salmon said.
The tower will be 45 metres high, be self supported and will take up about 100 square metres on the ground.
The tower will provide better cell coverage along Highway 6, Salmon explained.
Signum Wireless has held a consultation process in accordance with Industry Canada and there have been no objections to the tower, Salmon said.
“They got some correspondence asking questions and raising concern about their justification report, which they’ve responded to,” Salmon said.
“From a staff point of view there’s no reason not to concur but again it’s in council’s hands to concur or not.”
Councillor Stephen Kitras asked whether there was going to be a 5G network through the tower.
“There are some concerns about 5G in terms of health concerns,” he said.
Salmon said he doesn’t know what the industry plans for the future.
“I’m assuming Industry Canada will continue to be the regulator and they’ll establish the rules that apply to 5G,” he said.
Council provided municipal concurrence for the proposed telecommunications tower.
