Dear Editor:
A massive Rogers 5G Communication Tower (the height of a 10-storey building) has been proposed to be erected at 14207 Robinson Rd., resulting in it being very close to houses and businesses.
Summerland is blessed with a large land area for a small population, meaning there are alternatives that could and should be explored.
Aside from the structure dominating the skyline of our beautiful community, 5G is still a relatively new communication medium, which comes with great promises as well as risks.
With regards to safety, the industry refers to Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 and the reassurance it attempts to convey. The Code itself admits that its safety guidelines are only based on ‘current’ data/research, and that could change. Therefore, with any new technology such as 5G we just don’t know and as such it should be given a wide berth, at least for now!
Health Canada’s record of protecting the public is punctuated with catastrophic failures including the drugs Vioxx and Oxycontin which resulted in many Canadian deaths. They’ve been criticized, over the years for being too slow to react and having cozy relationships with industry, leading to conflicts of interest.
Essentially people living and working near 5G towers are part of an unwitting experiment, as we wait for further research. Any adverse effects - such as cancer - in close proximity may not be caused by the 5G antenna, but many in Summerland will be left wondering!?
For further safety information refer to the Environmental Health Trust at ehtrust.org.
Philip Hawkes
Summerland
