Page 17 - May 18 2020
P. 17
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
PAGE 12 MONDAY MARCH 30, 2020
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR MONDAY MAY 18, 2020 PAGE 17
County rejects Telus' application to build
telecommunications tower near County office
by Cassie Kushniruk tower.
Ramne said, “Telus has been
At the May 12 Yellowhead informed that until all questions
County Council meeting, Council that County Administration has
discussed telecommunication put forward are answered that the
conflicts with Telus with regards process would not move
to sharing (co-locating) towers. forward.”
Yellowhead County is “At this point, as per policy, as
expanding upon its utility Telus cannot/will not provide
communications network that evidence to support this new
supports broadband, mobility and tower as opposed to co-locating
public safety communications and on an existing tower,
requires that all applicants make Administration seeks Council
every effort to collocate on direction relative to advising
Yellowhead County owned utility Telus it will not receive County
towers. In situations where the support or a development permit
County does not have a tower and to proceed with this tower build,”
private towers are required, the said Ramme.
applicant must utilize best efforts During the time for questions
to provide tower space for the and comments from Council,
County public safety equipment Councillor David Russell asked,
and co-location opportunities to “It's my understanding that under
other potential wireless providers. CRTC regulations they are
According to CAO Jack obliged to negotiate to try and co-
Ramme, Telus has been difficult locate where possible?”
to work with regarding co- Ramme replied, “We have
locating towers. For example, in always tried through our own
2013, Telus wanted to build a policy as well. Telus is saying that
tower in Wildwood, which the this doesn't provide the coverage
County objected to for a number that they need. We've been asking
of reasons. Although Telus to get detailed coverage maps and
expressed intent to place a cell those have not been
site on the location, they stated forthcoming.”
that they would not be co-locating Russell then suggested writing a
the tower as it did not fit into their letter to the CRTC to explain what
coverage plan. Many discussions has been going on between the
were held to no avail, yet Telus County and Telus. “This has been
continued to reject any co- going on for years and perhaps it's
location on County towers but time for a higher authority to step
continued to build their own. in and talk with them,” he said.
After a few years of meetings, Mayor Jim Eglinski
Telus finally agreed to place a cell commented, “I thought it was
site on Wildwood and Cadomin very improper of Telus to write
towers, but at a cost to the residents of Yellowhead
Yellowhead County residents. The County before [negotiating with
County continued to try to get a the County]. I think they were
financial breakdown of the costs trying to go through the back
charged by Telus without much door, which really annoyed me.”
success. Eglinski continued, “I was very
Ramme mentioned that another fortunate that I sat on the [CRTC]
issue is that of co-locating in each board discussing communications
other's towers to avoid a across Canada. A lot of the things
proliferation of towers beside that were being encouraged were
each other. After many years of for counties and municipalities
discussions, Telus has agreed to across Canada to step up and
co-locate on County towers if the build communication facilities for
County assists in funding the the residents of their area. Here
equipment. However, Telus we have a major company in
continues to try to build their own Canada playing games with us
towers rather than co-locate on who have spent a large amount of
other towers in close proximity. money providing services, and I
Currently, Telus has an think it would be very appropriate
application to build a tower 3.8 to write the CRTC and tell them
km from an existing County how frustrated we are.”
tower at the County's The motion to advise Telus that
administration building in Edson. the County will not support the
According to Ramme, Telus has application to build the tower near
placed many requests as to why the County Administration
the newly built YH-8 Edson tower building was carried unanimously
cannot be used as the cell system by Council.
would be placed at the 250 foot Following this, Councillor
mark. However, the only Anthony Giezen put forward a
information provided by Telus motion to write a letter to the
was a crude coverage map CRTC regarding their frustrations
showing the coverage Telus with Telus, which was also
wanted to achieve with their carried unanimously by Council.
PAGE 12 MONDAY MARCH 30, 2020
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR MONDAY MAY 18, 2020 PAGE 17
County rejects Telus' application to build
telecommunications tower near County office
by Cassie Kushniruk tower.
Ramne said, “Telus has been
At the May 12 Yellowhead informed that until all questions
County Council meeting, Council that County Administration has
discussed telecommunication put forward are answered that the
conflicts with Telus with regards process would not move
to sharing (co-locating) towers. forward.”
Yellowhead County is “At this point, as per policy, as
expanding upon its utility Telus cannot/will not provide
communications network that evidence to support this new
supports broadband, mobility and tower as opposed to co-locating
public safety communications and on an existing tower,
requires that all applicants make Administration seeks Council
every effort to collocate on direction relative to advising
Yellowhead County owned utility Telus it will not receive County
towers. In situations where the support or a development permit
County does not have a tower and to proceed with this tower build,”
private towers are required, the said Ramme.
applicant must utilize best efforts During the time for questions
to provide tower space for the and comments from Council,
County public safety equipment Councillor David Russell asked,
and co-location opportunities to “It's my understanding that under
other potential wireless providers. CRTC regulations they are
According to CAO Jack obliged to negotiate to try and co-
Ramme, Telus has been difficult locate where possible?”
to work with regarding co- Ramme replied, “We have
locating towers. For example, in always tried through our own
2013, Telus wanted to build a policy as well. Telus is saying that
tower in Wildwood, which the this doesn't provide the coverage
County objected to for a number that they need. We've been asking
of reasons. Although Telus to get detailed coverage maps and
expressed intent to place a cell those have not been
site on the location, they stated forthcoming.”
that they would not be co-locating Russell then suggested writing a
the tower as it did not fit into their letter to the CRTC to explain what
coverage plan. Many discussions has been going on between the
were held to no avail, yet Telus County and Telus. “This has been
continued to reject any co- going on for years and perhaps it's
location on County towers but time for a higher authority to step
continued to build their own. in and talk with them,” he said.
After a few years of meetings, Mayor Jim Eglinski
Telus finally agreed to place a cell commented, “I thought it was
site on Wildwood and Cadomin very improper of Telus to write
towers, but at a cost to the residents of Yellowhead
Yellowhead County residents. The County before [negotiating with
County continued to try to get a the County]. I think they were
financial breakdown of the costs trying to go through the back
charged by Telus without much door, which really annoyed me.”
success. Eglinski continued, “I was very
Ramme mentioned that another fortunate that I sat on the [CRTC]
issue is that of co-locating in each board discussing communications
other's towers to avoid a across Canada. A lot of the things
proliferation of towers beside that were being encouraged were
each other. After many years of for counties and municipalities
discussions, Telus has agreed to across Canada to step up and
co-locate on County towers if the build communication facilities for
County assists in funding the the residents of their area. Here
equipment. However, Telus we have a major company in
continues to try to build their own Canada playing games with us
towers rather than co-locate on who have spent a large amount of
other towers in close proximity. money providing services, and I
Currently, Telus has an think it would be very appropriate
application to build a tower 3.8 to write the CRTC and tell them
km from an existing County how frustrated we are.”
tower at the County's The motion to advise Telus that
administration building in Edson. the County will not support the
According to Ramme, Telus has application to build the tower near
placed many requests as to why the County Administration
the newly built YH-8 Edson tower building was carried unanimously
cannot be used as the cell system by Council.
would be placed at the 250 foot Following this, Councillor
mark. However, the only Anthony Giezen put forward a
information provided by Telus motion to write a letter to the
was a crude coverage map CRTC regarding their frustrations
showing the coverage Telus with Telus, which was also
wanted to achieve with their carried unanimously by Council.
