City defends 5G pilot project

The City of Kelowna has issued a statement to combat what it calls “some strong opinions on social media” about the 5G pilot project underway in the city.

Jazz Pabla, the city’s information services department director, says some social media accounts talks about the supposed adverse health effects of 5G which Pabla says have been discredited by the scientific community and Health Canada.

Pabla also denies the city is making any money from the project.

“It is a limited-time research partnership. All equipment has been provided for this project by our partners. Our contribution to the project has been staff resources and space on four streetlights for the LiDAR sensors. We are interested in finding ways to improve the lives of our residents through technological innovation, which is why we partner with companies, like Rogers, and brilliant young minds, though the research program at UBC. Together we can use the anonymous 3D data to find new ways to improve the safety of those travelling our streets.”

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5G pilot project – For the Record (City of Kelowna news release)

August 5, 2020

In response to some strong opinions circulating on social media, I’d like to clarify some of the details of the 5G/LiDAR partner pilot project in downtown Kelowna.

Some social media accounts have cited reports and studies that have been discredited by the scientific community about the supposed adverse health effects of 5G. The City of Kelowna takes direction from the Federal Government of Canada on the science and health aspects related to 5G networks. Safety Code 6 guidelines developed by Health Canada are based on an ongoing review of published scientific studies, as well as Health Canada’s own research. Canada’s radiofrequency limits are consistent with the science-based standards used in other parts of the world, including the U.S., EU, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

The Government of Canada’s Radiofrequency Energy and Safety webpage states, “Misinformation and opinions on the health risks from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields are increasing on social media and on the Internet. There have been claims linking the deployment of 5G networks to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) and to increased risks of cancer. Health Canada confirms that there is no scientific basis for these claims.”

The Rogers 5G network for this pilot project is using the radiofrequency (RF) spectrum that is currently used for 4G – the spectrum we currently use for smartphones, tablets and wireless hotspots. Improved Internet connectivity and speeds mean we can capture real-time data and gain insights that can be used to improve health and safety outcomes in our community, for example determining the details of a traffic accident and what types of emergency resources to deploy. This is why accessing different RF spectrums (like those of 5G) in the future will be important when using advanced technology.

Some have implied that the City is making money from this project. It is not making any money off this pilot project. It is a limited-time research partnership. All equipment has been provided for this project by our partners. Our contribution to the project has been staff resources and space on four streetlights for the LiDAR sensors.

We are interested in finding ways to improve the lives of our residents through technological innovation, which is why we partner with companies, like Rogers, and brilliant young minds, though the research program at UBC. Together we can use the anonymous 3D data to find new ways to improve the safety of those travelling our streets.

Others have misreported that we are using this pilot project to track specific people, like in camera surveillance, which is impossible considering the LiDAR technology being used. LiDAR uses light lasers to measure distances, providing 3D representations of objects. A quick web image search shows how it is impossible to identify specific people or licence plate information using this technology.

Some have said that the closure of Bernard Avenue to vehicles means that a traffic study during this time is going to be wasted, which is not the case. A group of UBC capstone students, under Professor David Michelson, are looking at several interesting use cases, including the effect of increased foot traffic on physical distancing. This a great time for this pilot project because we have traffic data that was captured before Bernard closed that we’ll be able to compare to data captured four months after the closure (the pilot project runs June 1 through Dec. 31, 2020).

For additional information about the project, please visit kelowna.ca/intelligentcity.

With so much information available at our fingertips, it is important to stay vigilant, seek out reliable and reputable sources, and question what we read or are told.

Stay safe – in-person and online.

Jazz Pabla
Information Services Department Director