“Canada Supreme Court upholds cell tower approval” by Peter Menyasz, Bloomberg BNA Bloomberg BNA quotes Ottawa lawyer Leslie Milton in an article about the ruling in Rogers Communications Inc. v. City of Chateauguay, which confirmed the federal government’s power to regulate telecommunications infrastructure.
Leslie Milton, a partner in the Ottawa office of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP, agreed June 21 that the Supreme Court's decision to hear the case, and its ruling, confirm the supremacy of the federal power over radiocommunication.
That principle is well known, but there has been considerable local concern over the siting of radiocommunication equipment and some “aggressive” actions by municipal governments to try to block construction of towers, Milton told Bloomberg BNA.
“It's very important to have a decision by the Supreme Court,” she said.
The federal policy on siting radio towers includes a requirement for consultation with local authorities, but communities that oppose the facilities have tried to block them, she said.