Galiano LTC Special Meeting Minutes

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Galiano Island Local Trust Committee  
Minutes of a Special Meeting 
October 17, 2017 ADOPTED Page 1 of 5
 
 
 
 
Galiano Island Local Trust Committee 
Minutes of Special Meeting 
 
Date: 
Location: 
October 17, 2017 
Galiano South Community Hall 
141 Sturdies Bay Road, Galiano Island, BC
 
Members Present: Laura Busheikin, Chair (via phone) 
Sandy Pottle, Local Trustee (Acting Chair) 
George Harris, Local Trustee 
 
Staff Present: Rob Milne, Islands Planner  
Colleen Doty, Recorder 
  
Special Advisory 
Planning Commission 
Members Present: 
Kiyo Okuda, Member 
Stephen Rybak, Chair  
 
1. OPEN HOUSE 
 
Approximately 25 members of the public attended.  
 
2. CALL TO ORDER 
 
The Community Information Meeting was called to order at 1:30 p.m. Due to weather 
conditions Chair Busheikin could only join by phone. Trustee Pottle chaired the meeting 
in her absence. Acting Chair Pottle acknowledged the meeting was held on un-ceded 
territory of Coast Salish First Nations. Introductions were made.  
 
3. APPROVAL OF AGENDA 
 
By general consent the agenda was approved as presented.  
 
4. COMMUNITY INFORMATION MEETING 
 
4.1 Telecommunications Tower Protocol  
 
The LTC received correspondence from Joan Robertson and Rose Longini. 
 
Stephen Rybak, Chair of the Special Advisory Planning Commission (SAPC), 
provided a summary of the reference materials and work of the SAPC.  
 
Planner Robert Milne provided a presentation entitled “Galiano Island Antenna 
System Siting and Consultation Protocol” (the “Protocol”). He noted that 
documents such as the draft Protocol are not adopted by Bylaw; thus, there 
would not be a Public Hearing on the matter.  
 
 
 
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Galiano Island Local Trust Committee  
Minutes of a Special Meeting 
October 17, 2017 ADOPTED Page 2 of 5
 
 
 
Paul Leblond congratulated members of the SAPC for producing an informative 
report. He referenced a 2016 Supreme Court of Canada judgment in favour of  
Rogers Communications Inc., which had sued the Quebec city of Châteauguay 
for trying to block its efforts to erect a cell tower [Rogers Communications Inc. v. 
Châteauguay (City), 2016 SCC 23, [2016] 1 S.C.R. 467.] Mr. Leblond was 
surprised this case was not referenced in any of the Protocol materials, for the 
judgment seemed at odds with the notion of local government concurrence. 
 
Kiyo Okuda noted the SAPC were unaware of this judgment. The SAPC had 
specific instructions. Mr. Okuda noted that the Islands Trusts preserve and 
protect mandate has been defended and supported by the courts.  
 
Stephen Rybak noted that courts have also upheld the decision of some 
jurisdictions, using similar protocols, to not concur.  
 
Sheila Anderson asked whether, with the Protocol in place, it were possible for 
a cell tower to be built closer than 500 metres to a residence.   
 
Stephen Rybak stated it would be up to the LTC to judge each application by its 
merits, but that the Protocol supports having 500m as a 

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