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In this case, Ward 2 Coun. Stephen Holyday and local Liberal MP Yvan Baker are both backing residents opposing the tower, as are two local school trustees currently sidelined by the Ontario government’s appointment of supervisors to run both of É«É«À²’s public school boards. The fact that 5G transmitters already exist across É«É«À², including in the subway, is not dampening the tower opposition.

Oakville-based firm Shared Tower has asked Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISEDC) for permission to erect the tower at 460 Renforth Drive to host equipment for at least three cellular service providers to boost local data and voice coverage.

“Poor cellular service issues are greatly affecting surrounding areas,” the company said in a notice circulated to nearby residents, adding that a survey found no nearby towers or buildings suitable for the 5G antennas.

“This coverage solution will address the poor cellular service issues directly and positively impact connectivity in the area.”

The proposal to build a structure triggered a requirement for Shared Tower to submit a plan to the city and to engage in public consultation to inform city feedback to ISEDC. A city-hosted meeting last month saw strong public opposition to the tower, across from Centennial Park, based on fears that 5G radiofrequency electromagnetic fields could harm students in nearby schools and residents of a seniors’ home.

“We firmly believe that increased health risks will directly impact the community at large due to the radio frequency electromagnetic fields emitted from this tower,” close to several schools, states  and first reported by É«É«À² Today. 

“Several seniors in the area are already dealing with serious health issues and are fearful that such a tower will only worsen their health ... We firmly believe that the negative impacts of the heath risks outweigh the internet-availability benefits.”

Del Guidice forwarded to the Star a submission to the city by her group, Don’t Stop Now (Etobicoke Community for Safe Technology), that cites . People living near cell towers, the group said, have reported ailments including headaches, attention deficit, disorientation, insomnia, irregular heartbeats and skin rashes. She also cited increased cancer risk.

Health Canada, however, says that “based on the available scientific evidence, there are  from cellphones, cellphone towers, antennas and 5G devices.

“Thousands of scientific studies have evaluated the safety of radiofrequency EMF. Evidence from these studies has established only two adverse health effects that can occur at levels above the Canadian limits — tissue heating, such as the warming of your skin; nerve stimulation, which can cause a tingling sensation in your skin.”

Shared Tower’s Cheyenne Zierler told the Star in an email that the proposed tower will, like all those built by her company, emit signals well below the maximums allowed in Health Canada’s “Safety Code 6” guideline.

“Safety Code 6 limits are set approximately 50 times below the level at which any negative health consequences are anticipated,” she wrote. “Actual transmission levels are typically well below the allowed limits, providing an even greater margin of safety,” and compliance is strictly enforced as part of the permit process.

Del Guidice learned from the Star that the city has issued a concurrence letter to the federal government, meaning that it is not objecting to erection of the tower, although it did note community concerns. In a letter to Mayor Olivia Chow and others, Del Guidice called that news “shocking” and accused the city of not following its own process.

Etobicoke Centre MP Yvan Baker told the Star that he will urge ISEDC and his Liberal government to reject Shared Tower’s proposal.

“There’s widespread concern in my community” about potential health impacts on special needs students in a local school, residents of the seniors’ homes and others, Baker said.

“I believe the proposed location is completely inappropriate because it’s in close proximity to a number of sensitive sites that accommodate some of the most vulnerable people in our community and I think their health and well-being should be prioritized over the profit interests of large telecommunications companies.”

Asked for the scientific basis of his objections, Baker said “I’m not pretending to be an expert but, based on studies I’ve read, it’s prudent to minimize exposure as much as possible,” with smaller antennas.

Coun. Stephen Holyday noted he uses multiple wireless devices but objected to the tower because of strong opposition from the group that attended the city consultation session.

“I could not say one way or another if a tower could sicken people,” Holyday said, adding he was surprised to learn online how many 5G antennas already exist in the city, including close to the proposed tower site.

Dan MacLean, Ward 2 trustee with the É«É«À² District School Board, said he wants the community’s concerns addressed and a tower approval process with greater community engagement. 

Markus de Domenico, Ward 2 representative and chair of the É«É«À² District Catholic School Board until the province appointed a supervisor in June, said that with schools, churches and seniors’ homes nearby, residents need to be meaningfully consulted.

“Is (the proposed tower) going to medically affect them? I’m not certain, I don’t pretend to play doctor or scientist on this,” de Domenico said in an interview. “My concern is the parents or constituents are being listened to and then we can have informed debate.”

People “are asking to be heard,” he said. “Every decision, whether it’s a (proposed) homeless shelter or a food bank or a 5G tower, I don’t like the idea of the big brained saying ‘You people really don’t know well enough,’ and tap them on the head and tell them what’s going to happen and that’s the end of it. That’s not democracy.”

Carmen Celestini, a University of Waterloo researcher studying conspiracy theories, said online misinformation about 5G technology, which modulates a digital signal across channels to dramatically increase mobile communication speeds, is common in online forums that also feature COVID-19 and anti-vaccination content.

“While the pandemic has calmed,” Celestini said, “the fears and distrust has not receded.”