Thunder Bay couple hopes to stop cell tower planned near their home
Homeowners object to 50-metre cell tower planned for next door
A couple living in rural Thunder Bay hopes city council will stop a cell phone tower from going up in their neighbourhood.
Paula Adams and her husband bought a new house on Hazelwood Drive in the spring, not realizing Tbaytel was planning to construct a 50-metre cell tower on a piece of land leased from a next-door neighbour's property.
When Adams found out about Tbaytel's plans several months ago, she reached out to Industry Canada. She says they told her council can instruct the phone company to put the tower somewhere else.
"There seems to be an impression [within council] that the decision is entirely a federal government one," Adams told CBC News.
Health concerns
Adams says she has concerns about the long-term health effects of a cell tower close to her home.
City council has dealt with this kind of complaint before, but has typically approved tower locations.
Tbaytel spokeswoman Katie Crowe says the company does broad consultation before construction, and approval needs to come from the city, as the utility's owner.
"They have the responsibility of looking at all of the information we put in front of them, and then the municipality ultimately makes that decision,"Crowe said.
A final decision is expected within the month.