THUNDER BAY — An official with the City of Thunder Bay says Hydro One has the sole authority to determine when trees must be removed to prevent contact with its power lines.
"We have no say over it whatsoever," said Mike Dixon, the supervisor of forestry and horticulture.
Dixon was responding Wednesday to complaints from residents of Walsh Street, where close to 30 silver maple trees on city property will be removed.
He said Hydro One advised the city there was "an emergency vegetation management issue" on Walsh Street, Ford Street and a section of Golf Links Road.
Under Ontario's Electricity Act, Hydro One has the right to enter any property to remove any objects which it deems may interfere with the safe transmission of power.
The high-voltage lines along Walsh feed much of the city's south side.
Dixon said "any contact with a tree [in that section] would have catastrophic effects."
After measuring the maximum potential sag and sway of the 120,000 volt lines, Hydro decided this summer they were too close to the tree branches.
When crews became available, they were dispatched last week to top the trees.
That essentially sealed their fate, as the city's policy does not tolerate a topped tree on municipal property.
"If it can't be trimmed to look like a tree, our preference is to remove it," Dixon said, adding that Hydro One accommodated the city by trimming the trees to a lower level to facilitate their removal.
The city plans to complete the process by grinding the stumps next spring, and planting species that won't grow higher than 30 feet.
It will follow the same process with about 10 trees scheduled for removal along Ford Street.
Residents of the two affected blocks on Walsh are still steamed about how Hydro's actions have changed the appearance of the neighbourhood.
"It's like a war zone," one homeowner said.
Some have questioned why Hydro couldn't continue doing the kind of minor trimming that's been done for decades, and why some trees that were "nowhere near" the wires were cut down.
Dixon said the utility has complete authority to determine which trees pose a threat, and to establish its level of tolerance in terms of proximity to power lines.
In a statement late Wednesday to Tbnewswatch, Hydro One said it had reviewed the required work with city staff, distributed community notices, "and met with homeowners with the municipality in advance of the work."
It said "all trees identified as part of the emergency work had grown too close to the power lines, and were hazardous or diseased (including rot)."
According to homeowner Jason Matyczuk, a member of the hydro crew told him the trees on Walsh are at the end of their life cycle, but Matyczuk told Tbnewswatch he has seen no rot in the ones that have already been cut.
Residents have also complained they weren't properly warned about what was coming, and that letters they received didn't provide full disclosure.
It's a case of "broken communications," Matyczuk said, adding that he feels the city should have ensured that homeowners knew what Hydro intended to do.
