This spring, the tenants of the Port Coquitlam apartment complex fought — and won — their appeal against renovictions by their new landlord, a move that prompted city council to rejig its policies on mass evictions.
Now, the residents are in a battle to keep antennas off their roof.
Signs on the Western Drive property went up over the summer to inform the public about a development permit bid by Cypress Land Services Inc. to place cell antennas and associated screening on top of Bonnie Brae.
Tawny Verigin of Cypress Land Services, whose name is listed as a contact on the signs, declined to comment on the application, referring questions to Rogers Communications, the company it’s representing.
Rogers communications manager Lisa Rossington said Wednesday: “We are always exploring opportunities to expand our wireless network to keep people connected, and we are working with the city of Port Coquitlam to improve our network to benefit our customers in the community.”
Last Thursday, upset with the plans and concerned about what they say could be negative health effects if the antennas were to be installed, three Bonnie Brae residents took the matter to Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam MP Ron McKinnon, delivering a 33-name petition opposing the plans.
The formal petition was then forwarded to Navdeep Bains, the federal minister for innovation, science and economic development, who is responsible for the Radio Communication Act under Industry Canada.
But McKinnon told Bonnie Brae residents Mike Jarrett, Cheryl Sanftleben and Gary Crane there’s little he can do as the issue is between Cypress and the city — not the feds.
And while he said he sympathizes with the Bonnie Brae residents, McKinnon said there’s growing pressure in the Lower Mainland for more cell phone connectivity.
PoCo planning manager Jennifer Little told The Tri-City News the city has given Cypress its preliminary feedback “recommending the screening be architecturally coordinated with the building and consider visual impact.”
Still, Industry Canada has “exclusive jurisdiction over radio communication equipment such as antennas,” Little said, adding, “We understand that Industry Canada does not require public consultation for this proposal as it meets their exclusion criteria.”
Jarrett and Sanftleben said they’ve reached out to School District 43 to weigh in as their building is across the street from Mary Hill elementary. The topic will be on the board of education agenda next Tuesday, said Ken Hoff, SD43’s assistant director of communications and community relations.
A post on health concerns related to cellphone towers on the government of Canada website states: "The radiofrequency fields given off by cellphones and cellphone towers is a type of non-ionizing radiation. It is similar to the type of energy used in AM/FM radio and TV broadcast signals. Unlike ionizing radiation (as emitted by X-ray machines), RF energy from cell phones and other wireless devices cannot break chemical bonds in your body.
"Cellphones and cellphone towers in Canada must meet regulatory requirements that limit human exposure to RF energy…"
