Recent changes proposed by federal regulator Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to the approval process for new cell tower sites should concern all of us – even those who believe more infrastructure is needed.
Over the summer, ISED said it planned to update its policies to accelerate rural connectivity and 5G network expansion by modernizing public notifications and streamlining municipal review processes. In a nutshell, there will be no more local-level consultations for the public to ask questions about specific projects. Instead, residents are expected to do their own research and make sure they’re aware of what’s proposed and submit any comments to a new online portal.
To me, that reads like ISED paying lip service to the public rather than using their ears and hearing local concerns.
These changes align with the Eastern Ontario Regional Network’s (EORN) announcement, in August, that it had completed its $300 million cell gap project. Partnering with Rogers and the provincial and federal governments, the initiative delivered 657 new, co-located and upgraded towers across the region.
The numbers make for positive reading – EORN reported a 100 per cent success rate for projects that focused on upgrades to existing towers, while 91 per cent of planned new builds were completed, at 234 out of 257.
Ten of those 23 incomplete projects were slated for Haliburton County. In total, only 19 of 29 planned new towers for the Highlands are currently in service, a 65.5 per cent success rate. I think the public played a major part in that.
I can recall when some of these projects came to our four municipal councils in recent years. There was a lot of opposition. Concerns largely focused on environmental and economic impacts, while some argued about the health risks associated with 5G technology. In at least two cases, residents presented a good enough argument that their councils sided with them and opposed projects.
I’ve made my position on this very clear – I believe Haliburton County needs better cellular service. Anyone who has driven our rural roads and tried to make a call knows just how many dead zones are out there.
To me, cell service isn’t a luxury anymore. It’s basic infrastructure that residents, business owners, workers and tourists need in their day-to-day lives. From that perspective, it’s a concern that only two thirds of towers planned for Haliburton County as part of the cell gap project came to fruition.
I’m more worried though about the implications of the federal government stripping communities of their voice. What they’re proposing isn’t local decision-making, it’s local administration. Algonquin Highlands councillor Sabrina Richards called it an attack to democracy at the municipal level, and I tend to agree.
The federal government appears to have decided that consultation is an obstacle to construction, rather than an important part of the process. That’s the wrong lesson to take from projects that have been difficult to build.
If the goal is to get more towers into rural communities, then make the consultation process faster. Make it clearer, establish firm deadlines, prevent municipalities from endlessly dragging their feet. But don’t eliminate the local conversation altogether. We deserve a more meaningful seat at the table.
Pushing more things online is a mistake. It used to be that these meetings happened in-person, where residents could strike meaningful conversation with those running the projects. Those meetings went virtual during the pandemic and never returned.
Now they’re being replaced by the modern version of a complaint slip. I think we can all guess what drawer those will be filed in.
Algonquin Highlands council is pushing back on this – kudos to them. By committing to maintaining a local-level policy and communicating projects to the public when they come up, they’re providing an invaluable service to the community.
