A handful of teachers at William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute in the North York suburb of Toronto staged a brief walkout to protest radiation exposure fears due to the presence of a nearby cell tower. The cell tower is located near the high school but is not actually on school property. According to CTV-News Toronto, the 18 Canadian educators returned to work after being assured that the TDSB Occupational Health and Safety would investigate their concerns.
“Eighteen teachers participated in a formal work refusal process as is their right under the Occupational Health and Safety Act,” stated Michelle Teixeira, the President of OSSTF Toronto. “After voicing their concerns several times to the employer, and after delays on the part of the employer, the teachers felt they had no choice but to engage in the process.”
“Our ministry responds to every complaint we receive,” Ontario Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development spokesperson Jennifer Rushby told CTV. She encouraged anyone with concerns to contact the ministry, noting that neither the William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute nor the Toronto District School Board had reached out for assistance prior to this incident.
Health Canada, which oversees cell tower radiation exposure issues echoes the findings of the American Cancer Society and World Health Organization, all of whom assert that cell towers pose no danger to humans. “Health Canada continues to monitor all domestic and international scientific evidence on radiofrequency EMF and health,” notes the organization’s website. “If new scientific evidence were to show that exposure to radiofrequency EMF at levels below the Canadian limits is a health concern, we would take action to protect your health and safety.”
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