RESIDENT WANTS DEVICE REMOVED
City officials say it’s out of their hands because it’s a federal decision SPECIAL TO MONTREAL GAZETTE
Yves Hamelin of Pointe- Claire is the latest West Island resident to get fired up about cellphone towers. Last week, he called on Pointe- Claire city council to do something about the Telus device erected outside his home, just 10 metres from his daughter’s bedroom.
The citizens of Pointe- Claire, like everywhere on the island of Montreal, they want service for iphones, iPads, you name it.
After being pressed by a resident concerned about the proximity of communication antennas to residential areas, Pointe- Claire city officials acknowledged it’s not under municipal control, stating it’s federal jurisdiction.
Yves Hamelin, who lives on Valois Bay Ave., said he went to the city council meeting last week because he and some neighbours are still abuzz regarding a Telus device, located about 30 feet from his daughter’s bedroom, that was installed on a utility pole a few months ago. He said some neighbours had no idea what the Telus installation, a control box with an extended arm, actually was until he pointed it out to them. He thinks municipalities should have some control over sites in order to steer these antennas towards industrial/ commercial zones or even open green spaces instead of directly next to a home.
“I know we are surrounded by cellular phones and stuff like this, but there must be another place they could place those boxes,” he said, adding the Telus device was installed next to his house without notice while he was at work one day. “There are so many commercial or industrial areas in Pointe- Claire. Do you have to put it ( next my house)?
“My neighbours are still taking about it,” he continued. “I’d feel much safer if they removed it, for sure, but from what I understand Pointe- Claire is not pushing them to take it out.”
Hamelin added, through a pedestrian path, he is a short walk away from Beck Park, which had been a battle ground about four years ago when nearby residents successfully opposed the erection of a 23- metre cell tower by Rogers Communications, a plan for which the city had initially agreed to by amending rezoning rules to allow the installation but then backed off after dozens of citizens voiced disapproval.
Instead of deploying higher standing cell towers, Hamelin believes telecommunication companies are relying more on antennas. “People don’t notice these because they are not as big but they are putting these all over the place. Just walk around Pointe- Claire,” he added.
During last week’s council meeting, city officials responded to Hamelin that the growing technological trend toward wireless devices is driven by market demands and that the city doesn’t have any related studies since it’s not under municipal jurisdiction.
“Unfortunately, the citizens of Pointe- Claire, like everywhere on the island of Montreal, they want service for iPhones, iPads, you name it,” said Mayor Morris Trudeau, adding as recently as a few years ago, he noted that a map indicated cell towers in Pointe-Claire were mainly confined to spots along highways 20 or 40.
The mayor was making reference to the Canadian Cellular Towers Map blog which allows you to name any city and then click on a map for closer inspection of where cell tower or devices can be found.
Communication companies, such as Telus, are not obliged to obtain a permit from the city before installing an antenna device on a utility pole in a residential zone and do not need to inform the city beforehand, noted city hall spokeswoman Marie- Pier Paquette- Séguin.
Telus spokeswoman Luiza Staniec said such antennas are a required part of its network in order to meet the demands of its wireless customers.
“Telus is always conscious about esthetics and, when existing structures meet the technical criteria, we creatively seek to integrate our equipment into these existing structures,” she added.
Telus is obligated to follow Industry Canada’s guidelines regarding consultation but in a case such as an antenna on a utility pole, it is excluded from doing so since “this is a small, routine installation,” Staniec noted.
As for any health related concerns, all Telus antennas and cell towers are installed in compliance with the safety codes which are defined by Health Canada, she added.
Meanwhile, the Pierrefonds-Rox-boro borough recently announced it reached an out- of- court settlement with Telus regarding a 15- metre cell tower that was installed in 2012 but has since been dismantled at a church property on St. Charles Blvd.
The cell tower had been erected by Public Mobile which was acquired by Telus in 2013. Telus was able to service former Public Mobile customers with its existing sites in Pierrefonds and didn’t need any additional coverage or capacity provided by the tower which had been located at the church, Staniec said.
The Pierrefonds- Roxboro borough, however, still has an ongoing lawsuit filed against Videotron regarding a cell tower erected in 2010 at a small repair garage on Gouin Blvd.