OTTAWA, March 28, 2003 — Allan Rock, Minister of Industry, today announced the appointment of theNational Antenna Tower Review Committee. The Committee, consisting of municipal officials, as well asindustry, health and academic experts, will be chaired by David A. Townsend, Professor of Law at theUniversity of New Brunswick.
"New, modern procedures for placing antenna towers must embrace community involvement and expandthe economic and social benefits of wireless, broadcast and wireless broadband technologies acrossCanada," said Minister Rock. "The national antenna tower review will ensure that the voices of Canadiansare heard in the development of those procedures. I look forward to receiving the results of the publicconsultation and the Chair's recommendations to ensure a fair, balanced antenna tower policy for thefuture."
The other municipal officials, and industry, health and academic experts on the Committee are:Rod Dobell, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy at the University of Victoria; Mary McBride, anepidemiologist at the British Columbia Cancer Agency; Frank Leonard, Mayor of Saanich, British Columbia;Nick Makale, Chair of the City of Calgary's Telecommunication Ad Hoc Committee; Roger Poirier, ExecutiveDirector of the Wireless Information Resource Centre and President of RBP Associates; Christine Racine,urban planning consultant in Montréal; and William (Bill) Rowat, President of the Railway Association ofCanada.
In recent years, the public's demand for broadcast and wireless services has caused a substantial increasein infrastructure, including the number of antenna towers being erected across Canada. The rulesgoverning these towers fall under the Radiocommunication Act, which is administered by IndustryCanada.
Professor Townsend and the Committee will consult with citizens, communities and companies onimprovements in the policy and siting procedures for antenna tower placement. This review will examineissues, including:
- How can the local consultation process regarding the siting of a specific tower be improved?
- What are the most appropriate time frames for the processes of approving and resolving debatessurrounding specific tower placements?
- What means are available to readily identify whether proposed installations may createradiofrequency fields in excess of established exposure limits in areas where people live and work?
- What information would most benefit concerned members of the public and how should it beprovided?
- How and to what extent can tower sharing be utilized in order to reduce the total number oftowers?
- Can protocols be arranged between local land-use authorities and antenna proponents regardingthe planning and siting of antenna structures, visual guidelines and dispute resolution mechanisms?
A backgrounder concerning the antenna tower policy review process is attached, as is biographicalinformation on the Chair and Committee members. Individuals or organizations wishing to make asubmission to the review can send their comments to antenna@unb.ca or fax the Antenna Consultation Office at 506-453-4548.
For more information, please contact:
Selena Beattie
Office of Allan Rock
Minister of Industry
613-995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
Backgrounder
National Antenna Tower Policy Review
Current procedures used to determine tower placements
- Environment — Industry Canada requires that all proposals be compliant with the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act to ensure that an installation will have no significant adverseenvironmental effects.
- Radiofrequency fields — Industry Canada sets the requirements for the safety ofradiocommunication equipment in Canada. For this purpose, Industry Canada had adopted theradiofrequency emission limits outlined in Health Canada's Safety Code 6 guidelines. Allradiocommunication devices must meet this safety standard.
- Land use consultations — The Department has instituted land-use consultation processes toensure that municipalities and other land-use authorities are made aware of proposed installationsprior to construction. Once a particular municipality is informed of a proposal, it should have30 days to make its views known and another 90 days to consult with citizens. Parties areencouraged to work together to prepare solutions that minimize community impact, includingsharing existing antenna structures where possible.
- Aeronautical obstruction clearance — Industry Canada requires proponents to ensure theirtowers are first reviewed by Transport Canada to ensure they pose no hazard to air navigation.
Specific issues which may guide the consultation
- Improving the local consultation process regarding the siting of a specific tower to reduce theincidence of surprise, which can accompany the construction of new antenna towers.
- Defining the most appropriate time frames for the processes of approving and resolving debatessurrounding specific tower placements.
- Determining the best means available to readily identify whether a proposed installation may createradiofrequency fields in excess of established exposure limits in areas where people live and work.
- Determining the most useful and helpful information and the best means of providing it toconcerned members of the public.
- Assessing how and to what extent towers can be shared in order to reduce their total number.
- Establishing the best protocols for local land-use authorities and antenna proponents that embracethe planning and siting of antenna structures, visual guidelines and dispute-resolution mechanisms.
Biographical Notes
National Antenna Tower Policy Review Committee
David A. Townsend – Chair
David A. Townsend, Bachelor of Law (Dalhousie University, 1978) and Master of Law (Osgoode Hall LawSchool of York University, 1982), has taught administrative law, regulatory policy, and introductory andupper-level property subjects since joining the University of New Brunswick faculty in 1979. For the past15 years, his principal research activities have concerned the writing and implementation of legal andtechnical policies related to wireless communication. In 1993, he received the University of NewBrunswick's highest award, the Alan P. Stuart Award for Teaching Excellence, for his teaching.
Rod Dobell
Rod Dobell, Professor Emeritus of Public Policy at the University of Victoria, has served as Special Advisor(Long Range Economic Planning) to the Deputy Minister of Finance and as Deputy Secretary to theTreasury Board in the Government of Canada, Director of the General Economics Branch at theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Director of Research for two parliamentarytask forces, and as President of the Institute for Research on Public Policy, 1984-91. In 1992, he wasawarded the Governor General's Canada 125 Medal for service to the country, and 10 years later theQueen's Jubilee Medal. In 2002, he was commissioned to review the process for authorization ofbroadcast towers on Triangle Mountain near Colwood, British Columbia.
Frank Leonard
Frank Leonard was first elected Mayor of the District of Saanich, British Columbia, in 1996 after serving onCouncil since 1986. Mr. Leonard chairs the Saanich Police Board, serves on the Regional TransitCommission and has chaired the Capital Regional District Board, the Saanich Hospital Board and theSaanich Housing Corporation. Now the Past President of the Association of Vancouver Island and CoastalCommunities, he is Chair of the Saanich Municipal Finance Authority and Vice-President of the Union ofBritish Columbia Municipalities.
Nick Makale
Nick Makale leads the City of Calgary's Telecommunication Ad Hoc Committee, and works with the carrierson all proposed sites in the city. He has worked through a number of contentious issues, including arecent situation where there were three towers constructed without consultation.
Mary McBride
Mary McBride has been an epidemiologist at the British Columbia Cancer Agency since 1980. She is co-principalinvestigator of a Canadian study of risk factors for childhood leukemia, including risks associatedwith exposure to power-frequency electric and magnetic fields. She was also a member of the ExpertGroup convened by the Royal Society of Canada to review the scientific evidence regarding potentialhealth risks of radiofrequency fields from wireless telecommunication devices (published in 1999), and hasco-authored updated reviews on the subject.
Roger Poirier
Roger Poirier is the Executive Director of the Wireless Information Resource Centre and President of RBPAssociates. Mr. Poirier is the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the Ottawa-based CanadianWireless Telecommunications Association. The association represents cellular, personal communicationservices, paging, fixed wireless, and mobile radio and mobile satellite carriers, as well as companies thatdevelop and produce products and services for the industry. Mr. Poirier is also a past President of theRadio Advisory Board of Canada.
Christine Racine
A political scientist with a Master of Urban Planning degree, Ms. Racine brings with her a wealth ofexperience in this domain. She has worked with various telecommunications companies in dealing withEastern Canada operations. Ms. Racine has also been a member of several Canadian Radio-television andTelecommunications Commission sub-working groups. She possesses considerable expertise in assessingthe impact of municipal and provincial regulations on heritage sites and antenna tower siting.
William (Bill) Rowat
Bill Rowat, President of the Railway Association of Canada since 2000, is a former career officer in thepublic service, having served as Associate Deputy Minister at Transport Canada, Deputy Minister ofFisheries and Oceans Canada, and as Senior Policy Advisor to the Premier of Newfoundland/Labrador.Since assuming the reins of the 55-member Railway Association of Canada, which represents virtually allfreight and passenger railways operating in Canada today, Mr. Rowat has given the organization a newimpetus and direction with respect to its advocacy, policy development and public affairs work.