{"id":4016,"date":"2012-02-20T21:11:27","date_gmt":"2012-02-21T04:11:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=4016"},"modified":"2012-02-20T22:12:55","modified_gmt":"2012-02-21T05:12:55","slug":"another-city-hall-asks-for-opt-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/?p=4016","title":{"rendered":"Another BC City Hall asks for Opt Out"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-bmbjjsgpskc\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n<div style=\"aspect-ratio:4\/3\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:75.000000%\"><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer &apos;none&apos;;autoplay &apos;none&apos;;bluetooth &apos;none&apos;;browsing-topics &apos;none&apos;;camera &apos;none&apos;;clipboard-read &apos;none&apos;;clipboard-write;display-capture &apos;none&apos;;encrypted-media &apos;none&apos;;gamepad &apos;none&apos;;geolocation &apos;none&apos;;gyroscope &apos;none&apos;;hid &apos;none&apos;;identity-credentials-get &apos;none&apos;;idle-detection &apos;none&apos;;keyboard-map &apos;none&apos;;local-fonts;magnetometer &apos;none&apos;;microphone &apos;none&apos;;midi &apos;none&apos;;otp-credentials &apos;none&apos;;payment &apos;none&apos;;picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create &apos;none&apos;;publickey-credentials-get &apos;none&apos;;screen-wake-lock &apos;none&apos;;serial &apos;none&apos;;summarizer &apos;none&apos;;sync-xhr;usb &apos;none&apos;;web-share;window-management &apos;none&apos;;xr-spatial-tracking &apos;none&apos;;\" allowfullscreen=\"\" class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-bmbjjsgpskc\" data-lenis-prevent=\"\" data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/bmbjjsGPsKc?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"675\" loading=\"lazy\" name=\"\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/bmbjjsGPsKc?feature=oembed&#038;iv_load_policy=3&#038;modestbranding=1&#038;rel=0&#038;autohide=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autoplay=0\" title=\"\" width=\"900\"><\/iframe><\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"http:\\\/\\\/schema.org\\\/\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/emrabc.ca\\\/?p=4016#arve-youtube-bmbjjsgpskc\",\"type\":\"VideoObject\",\"embedURL\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\\\/embed\\\/bmbjjsGPsKc?feature=oembed&iv_load_policy=3&modestbranding=1&rel=0&autohide=1&playsinline=0&autoplay=0\"}<\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><strong>Maple Ridge council calls for choice on Smart Meters<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong> <\/strong>Maple Ridge council voted Tuesday to send a letter to B.C. Hydro urging the provincial power utility to respect citizens right to opt out of the controversial $900 million project to replace the province\u2019s 1.8 million power meters.<\/p>\n<p><em>Black Press\/Files<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.mapleridgenews.com\/news\/139478903.html\">http:\/\/www.mapleridgenews.com\/news\/139478903.html<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>By <a href=\"mailto:rmangelsdorf@mapleridgenews.com?subject=Maple%20Ridge%20News%20-%20Maple%20Ridge%20council%20calls%20for%20choice%20on%20Smart%20Meters\"><strong>Robert Mangelsdorf &#8211; Maple Ridge News<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Published: <strong>February 16, 2012 3:00 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Updated: <strong>February 16, 2012 3:41 PM<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Maple Ridge residents, along with all other British Columbians, should have a choice whether or not they want one of B.C. Hydro\u2019s smart meters installed on their homes.<\/p>\n<p>Maple Ridge council voted Tuesday to send a letter to B.C. Hydro urging the provincial power utility to respect citizens right to opt out of the controversial $900 million project to replace the province\u2019s 1.8 million power meters.<\/p>\n<p>The smart meters will allow B.C. Hydro to quickly and more accurately identify outages, and provide more accurate monitoring of power usage, which could result in power savings.<\/p>\n<p>However, homeowners have no say in the matter, said Coun. Corisa Bell, who put forward the resolution, adding that many are concerned about perceived health risks from the wireless devices.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is a strong suggestion <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mapleridgenews.com\/news\/provincial\/137526583.html\">these devices are harmful<\/a>,\u201d Bell\u00a0 said at Tuesday\u2019s council meeting. \u201cSome may argue that [cell phones and microwaves] are used\u00a0 daily and emit the same frequencies in larger doses, but I want to point out the public makes choices in regards to &#8230; those items.<\/p>\n<p>An earlier motion by Bell to call on B.C. Hydro for a complete moratorium on smart meter installation until there is further research into the health effects of the wireless devices was voted down 6-1, with only Bell voting in favour.<\/p>\n<p>Bell added there are potential security risks from implementing a wireless network from hackers, as well. Her claims of possible health risks from the devices were largely dismissed by the other councillors.<\/p>\n<p>Coun. Cheryl Ashlie said the motion wasn\u2019t well thought out, and that if the District takes a stand on smart meters as wireless devices, it would logically have to extend that policy to ban the wireless devices it requires its own staff to use.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe issue cell phones, we have fire and police who use [wireless radios], so we would have to extend the moratorium if we believe there are [health concerns],\u201d Ashlie said. \u201cOnce you open that door you have to be prepared to argue it wholly, and I don\u2019t think we want to go down that road.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>According to B.C. Hydro, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mapleridgenews.com\/news\/137137803.html\">radio frequency radiation<\/a> from standing next to a smart meter for 20 years is equal to a 30-minute cellphone call.<\/p>\n<p>While the Union of B.C. Municipalities voted 55-45 in favour of a similar moratorium, Ashlie, the District of Maple Ridge\u2019s UBCM representative, voted against it.<\/p>\n<p>Despite Bell\u2019s call for a moratorium not being supported, all councillors agreed the public still had a right to say yes or no to having the smart meters installed on their homes.<\/p>\n<p>A moratorium would unfairly impact those want a smart meter installed on their home, said Coun. Al Hogarth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have to be fair to both sides,\u201d he said. \u201cSmart meters allow people to monitor their consumption&#8230; hopefully we see the reduction of carbon production.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hogarth said that since the traditional power meters are more expensive to monitor, those who decide to opt out should be made to pay for the cost.<\/p>\n<p>Ashlie criticized B.C. Hydro for failing to consult with the public about the project.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey are a crown corporation,\u201d she said. \u201cThey should be acting in the public\u2019s best interest.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maple Ridge council calls for choice on Smart Meters Maple Ridge council voted Tuesday to send a letter to B.C. Hydro urging the provincial power utility to respect citizens right to opt out of the controversial $900 million project to replace the province\u2019s 1.8 million power meters. Black Press\/Files http:\/\/www.mapleridgenews.com\/news\/139478903.html By Robert Mangelsdorf &#8211; Maple [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58,54,142,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bchydro","category-maple-ridge","category-opt-out-options","category-smart-meter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4016"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4022,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4016\/revisions\/4022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/emrabc.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}