A local group has decided to back the anti-Smart Meters effort.
During a meeting earlier this month, the Cowichan Lake South/Skutz Falls area Advisory Planning Commission decided to take an anti-Smart Meters Stance.
During the meeting, anti-Smart Meter advocate Mary Lowther, who is also a member of the commission, gave a brief presentation on the negative side of the devices.
“It damages your cells all over your body,” she said, of the radiation-emitting devices.
The Smart Meters are unlike traditional BC Hydro meters, in that they use radio waves to transmit how much electricity is being used in the building being monitored.
This also raised some privacy issues for commission members, in that BC Hydro would be able to determine how much electricity is being used, and what time of day.
“I’m really concerned about these things, and I was hoping there would be something in the Official Community Plan that will discourage their installation,” she said, to her fellow commission members.
CVRD planner Mike Tippett said that the commission’s anti-Smart Meter stance could easily fit into the Official Community Plan, and that he’ll work it in.
But, he cautioned, the Official Community Plan may not be the most effective means of getting this particular message across in a timely manner.
With some Smart Meters already installed in the area, and the remaining meters to be installed this summer, the message has to go out much sooner.
As such, the commission unanimously made a motion to encourage Cowichan Lake South/Skutz Falls area director Ian Morrison bring up the issue during a Cowichan Valley Regional District Electoral Area Services Committee meeting.
The motion reads, “Request that director Morrison bring forward the Area F (Cowichan Lake South/Skutz Falls) concerns regarding health and privacy issues regarding the installation of Smart Meters.”
