Long dormant concerns about electric and magnetic field (EMF) levels around Pemberton were raised once again at a council meeting earlier this spring.
After Caitlin Chalmers wrote a letter to mayor and council, explaining her concerns about buying a house in the village, officials resolved to look into the issue to ease public concerns.
Chalmers said she used an EMF reader to check the areas at their potential new home and at the elementary school.
“The playground, directly under the power lines, is 170 times the safe limit,” she wrote. “The reading was 17,000, where 100 is ‘avoid’/unsafe. The entire field until the start of the school was ‘avoid.’ The pump track is also woefully way over safe limits. And there are condos with their common areas/garden directly under the power lines.”
Chalmers worries young children are exposed to “extremely high” electromagnetic fields on a daily basis. “This is exposing Pemberton’s children to potentially significant health risks,” she wrote.
Officials maintain there is no conclusive evidence of any harm from exposure to EMFs.
Chalmers acknowledged in her letter it would not be financially feasible for the Village of Pemberton (VOP) to move the lines. She said the provincial government or BC Hydro would need to get involved.
“There were efforts when the skatepark was being built to raise this issue. It was outright dismissed that the residents ‘aren’t worried about the location,’” she said. “I can show you a short survey of residents who are made aware of the power lines and this is acutely cared about. Pemberton is meant to be a place people can raise their families.”
Chalmers told Pique she took two different EMF readers to the locations she tested.
She fears exposure to the EMF could cause serious illness or developmental issues. “We can’t move to Pemberton because of this. I wouldn’t let [my son] go that elementary school because of this,” she said.
Councillor Katrina Nightingale pulled the letter for council’s discussion.
“When I read that, I thought that it was really concerning,” she said. “I am looking to the group to wonder where we should go with this if it is true and accurate? How do we confirm that this is true and accurate?”
Coun. Ted Craddock remembered when concerns about the EMF levels around the pump park were initially raised.
“In the past, we have had studies on that. We asked staff to have a look at it in relation to the pump park,” he said. “We heard back that it was something that they were aware of [EMF levels] but the level of it was not concerning. That’s why the BMX park is there. At that time, council felt comfortable with the information we had received.”
Council directed staff to conduct research regarding council’s previous consideration of any potential negative impacts related to electromagnetic field exposure.
“It’s about giving people peace of mind,” said Nightingale.
A historic debate
On Tuesday, June 18, staff provided background respecting the development of the Pemberton skatepark as related to concerns regarding EMFs due to the presence of overhead hydro transmission lines.
When the village first received funding for the skatepark through the Build Canada grant, it held a public information meeting in November 2009. Attendees raised concerns about the hydro transmission lines within an established BC Hydro right of way that runs over Lot 12, the proposed location for the new park.
At a council meeting on Nov. 17, 2009, council received correspondence from a Whistler resident expressing concern about the proposed location of the skatepark and suggesting relocating it to Pioneer Park.
The concerned writer advised they had done electromagnetic testing in the area and determined that, in their opinion, the exposure to EMFs at the park was high and would lead to negative health effects in those using the park. The correspondence was referred to staff for review.
At a council meeting on Dec. 1, 2009, staff presented a report to ease locals and councillors’ concerns. It provided council with information respecting the negative health effects of electric and magnetic fields and links to various sources. Council was directed to articles by the Canadian Cancer Society and Health Canada for information. The report also presented options for potentially relocating the skatepark to another site within the Village.
At a meeting on Jan. 12, 2010, council supported Lot 12 as the site for the skatepark. It also directed staff to post a sign on Lot 12 that the park location is exposed to electromagnetic fields due to the proximity to major electricity transmission lines pending review by the Municipal Insurance Association.
The debate didn’t end there. In June 2010, a petition with close to 1,000 signatures was presented to council, though staff noted many were from out of town.
Representatives from the Pemberton Skatepark Society advised it was opposed to moving the skatepark to Pioneer Park due to concerns grant funding would be revoked. Pemberton’s mayor at the time, Jordan Sturdy, read a section from correspondence received from Medical Health Officer with Vancouver Coastal Health, Dr. Paul Martiquet. “Current evidence suggests the benefits of physical activity and creating a non-obesogenic environment far outweigh the risks of exposure to EMF radiation sources,” wrote Martiquet.
Then-CAO Daniel Sailland presented a late report on the matter, noting EMF is only labelled as a possible carcinogenic like many things people use in their homes everyday. “The fact remains that Canadian and world-health authorities state that they have not found a consistent relationship between exposure to EMF and cancer risks in adults or children,” Sailland said. “They label EMF as ‘possibly carcinogenic,’ which is a classification that is shared with such things as pickled vegetables and coffee.”
No concrete correlation
The council of the day opted to keep Lot 12 as the site for the Pemberton Skateboard Park. It directed staff to post appropriate signs at the park that identify both the relative risks of using a skateboard park as well as identify sources for obtaining additional information.
The signage at the park does not currently show the respective risks. In her report at the latest council meeting, outgoing manager of corporate and legislative services, Sheena Fraser, said council should seek guidance from the Municipal Insurance Association of BC about the wording of potential signs before installing them.
She added it would cost millions for the village to bury the power lines, and that it would not eliminate the EMF field. Vancouver Coastal Health also said EMF readings will vary between readers, she noted.
“You have to move cautiously when you are interpreting and transposing this information,” said Fraser, adding staff was also in contact with Vancouver Coastal Health this time around, which cautioned how signs should be worded.
“This topic, along with a lot of different health topics, can create a lot of anxiety in people,” said Fraser. “You have to be conscientious on how to approach, especially if there isn’t an issue. They offered to help the village in formulating some language around that if that’s how council wishes to move forward with this. I do feel like if there have been recent readings and there were concerns, all the appropriate authorities would have been notified.”
Fraser once again insisted people of Pemberton have nothing to worry about.
“The general feeling is that you probably have more exposure to EMFs in your own home than you would hanging out at the skatepark,” she said. “There’s no concrete scientific correlation between cancer and EMFs.”
Council resolved to respond to Chalmers addressing her concerns and to put a link to a BC Hydro booklet on EMF levels on the VOP’s website.
BC Hydro spokesperson, Kevin Aquino, told Pique extensive international research over the past 40 years has found no negative health effects associated to low-level electric and magnetic fields.
“When it comes to health, we rely on the expertise of our public health authorities and recognized international bodies, including Health Canada and the World Health Organization,” he said. “Health Canada has confirmed that there is no conclusive evidence of any harm from exposure to EMF at levels found in homes and schools, including those near power line corridor boundaries.”
Vancouver Coastal Health did not respond to a request for comment before Pique’s deadline.
You can find more information about EMF levels here.
