Heather Wright/The Independent

Six years after Plympton-Wyoming received applications for new cell towers along Highway 402, the carriers are
showing interest in actually building them.

The news came to light at the Sept. 9 council meeting after Councillor Kristen Rodrigues asked about new rules being proposed by the federal government which could make it easier for carriers to place towers with limited input from municipal councils.

Canadians for Safe Technology, in a letter to council, explained the federal government is reviewing the cell tower siting rules, but few people know about it. The group says the proposed changes would allow carriers to place any tower less than 15 meters high without consultation, as long as there was a willing host.

The proposal would also cut down the time for municipal governments to comment on towers over 15 meters from four months to only 45 days. And the group says some carriers, like Bell, have filed lengthy requests to make the rules even friendlier to the carriers.

Canadians for Safe Technology urged municipalities to review the proposed changes and make their feelings known.

“It’s kind of sadly funny,” said Rodrigues, “because these people are asking for support to keep control over the site cell tower site process and planning … to ensure municipal input. I didn’t even think there was any municipal input because it’s federally regulated, first of all, and second of all, we can’t even give a cell tower up anywhere.

“I’d rather see something asking for these cell towers to get moving. It’s getting worse by the minute I swear,” she said.

Plympton-Wyoming CAO Adam Sobanski says there may be movement on that front.

There are two permits which were granted to carriers before the pandemic for towers which have been inactive; the companies are looking to get their projects started again.

“They are in the process of doing so with planning (department) hopefully, with the intent to construct in the near future,” Sobanski said.