“I am quite comfortable with Safety Code 6.”
Mayor Nancy Cooper responded several times with this statement when asked by members of Citizens for Safe Technology about council’s plans surrounding Wi-Fi and cell towers.
At the Dec. 8 council meeting, during the question and answer period, resident Shelley Corbin asked if council would be willing to work with her and others as an advocacy group.
Cooper replied: I am quite comfortable with Safety Code 6, so thank you.”
Safety Code 6 outlines what Health Canada considers the safe human exposure limits to radio-frequency electromagnetic energy. The federal website states the limits “are based on an ongoing review of published scientific studies, including both internal and external authoritative reviews of the scientific literature, as well as Health Canada’s own research.”
The website states the current version of Safety Code 6 is based on information gathered up to August 2009.
Canoe resident Howard Halleck asked about details of a meeting council committed to hold in January to discuss cell phone towers. He said his group needs to know the framework as members will be bringing in a specialist.
City staff and the mayor said the guidelines, time and date are yet to be established.
Halleck expressed his consternation with relying on Safety Code 6.
“I have a lot of information about Safety Code 6 that would take away a lot of that comfort from you…,” he said.
Cooper remarked: “Safety Code 6 is a federal government regulation and I’m quite comfortable with it.”
Sorrento resident Una St. Clair asked why council is holding a meeting if there’s no desire to work with the public.
Cooper replied: We will look at it, we’ll listen to what you have to say and we’ll go from there.”
