Prince Edward County Council heard from concerned residents yesterday about the planned construction of a Rogers cellular communications tower at the intersection of Georges Road and Foster’s Road.

The residents stressed that eight families and as well as a protected wetland will be located within 500 metres of the tower once completed.

They added that there are hundreds of jurisdictions around the world that have put restrictions and regulations in place concerning emission sources, like cellular towers, when in proximity to living spaces, and that they often should not be within 500 metres of homes, schools, and ecological areas.

As an example, they pointed to nearby Hastings County’s current policy concerning cell towers, which sets the limit to 1,000 metres usually , with emission blocking faraday screens required for sites that offer less than a 1,000 metres of buffer space.

The residents argued that although the science is not yet definitive, there are hundreds of studies which show increased instances of cancer and other health effects suffered by people who live close to high energy power emissions. They also protested the fact that a letter of concurrence was given to the tower’s developers before sufficient feedback could be given.

Council voted to receive the deputation.

Listen to the CJPE story below: