Victoria Harbour tower gets go ahead

BY KIRK STARRATT

Kings County Register

Industry Canada has approved a controversial wireless internet tower proposed by Eastlink for Victoria Harbour.

Kings County council gave positive recommendations for five of six proposed tower locations in May, but not the Victoria Harbour site. During a public consultation process, there was strong opposition to the proposal.

The approved tower site is the second site Eastlink proposed for the community.

A letter from Bob Brewer, Industry Canada Atlantic regional director for Spectrum, Information Technologies and Telecommunications, to Kings County Warden Fred Whalen outlining the approval states Eastlink shifted its original location to accommodate concerns of residents. This was to ensure the structure would be “equidistant from existing residences. “Any further shifts would negatively effect service area and necessitate further supporting structures.”

Industry Canada had received a formal impasse filing from Eastlink in June with respect to the land use consultation process with the municipality for the proposed tower.

Len LeVine of Victoria Harbour, grower of organic garlic and storage vegetables, isn’t sure if Kings County council had a willingness to oppose Industry Canada’s decision. He said the municipality has bylaws to protect agricultural land from conflicting uses and his operation is real farming, not virtual, as are some instances of agricultural land protection in the county. “The tower would destroy the integrity of what I do. Council agreed and voted against it,” he said.

For example, several food products are labeled “non-irradiated” and, since the garlic he plants never leaves his farm, he wonders how long it would take with the presence of the tower before his product would be considered irradiated. The tower emissions would be beaming over his property all day, every day and LeVine said consumers have a right to know.

He said it appears Eastlink’s word has been taken over his when it comes to his own operation, but he insists neither Industry Canada nor Eastlink know what his customers want. It has taken him three decades to cultivate his market.

LeVine maintains he was careful not to try to oppose the tower on grounds of health concerns, but also maintains his farm should be protected, based on Industry Canada’s own provision a tower can be opposed if it would conflict with an existing amenity. He said his farm fits this description. “Council made a decision on the public’s behalf. I don’t see how someone from outside can come in and overrule it,” LeVine said.

He said he was ready to plant next year’s cropbefore the Industry Canada decision came down.

Barb Lake, who has been lobbying against wireless telecommunication towers in Kings County for several years, said Oct. 23 Eastlink was already working at the Victoria Harbour site and individuals opposed to the installation are considering mounting some form of protest.

Councillor, warden respond

Area Councillor Wayne Atwater said council went through the entire public consultation process and decided to make a recommendation to Industry Canada against the Victoria Harbour site, but he wonders why the county even goes through such a process. Industry Canada should be responsible for it, considering it will make the final decision, regardless of what council recommends. “We take the whipping,” he said, pointing out, even if the county were to deny a development permit for the tower, the federal body has jurisdiction and the tower could go up anyhow. “There’s nothing we can do, no matter what... there’s a big flaw with the public process. Even though we say ‘no’, it can still happen.”

Warden Fred Whalen said the community was split on the issue of the tower, with petitions from those against and those in favour. The matter was discussed with representatives from Industry Canada in September and it was conveyed to the municipality the federal governing body felt there were no health issues and the tower wouldn’t impact negatively on an organic farming operation. “In the end, Industry Canada did what they’re entitled to do. There’s no place for us to go, there is no appeal,” Whalen said. “The federal government made a decision, and I respect that. I’m satisfied we did the best we could.”

In the letter…

In the letter from Industry Canada to the warden regarding approval of the Victoria Harbour site, it states, in its review, Industry Canada determined the main thrusts of the resident’s concerns are related to perceived health impacts. Staff reviewed the technical parameters of the Eastlink proposal and confirmed the installation will be in full compliance with Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 Guideline Limits of Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields in the Frequency Range from 3KHz to 300 GHz. Industry Canada considers this matter to have been fully satisfied.

With respect to organic agriculture, the department has confirmed the Canadian General Standards Board Committee on Organic Agriculture has stated radio frequency radiation or contamination is not considered nor included within the national standards for organic agriculture production.

Industry Canada notes the proposed facilities are required to deliver broadband services in the Victoria Harbour area and the site selected is reasonable given there is no other suitable existing infrastructure in the area, such as high-rises or other large structures.