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Public Notice

Mount Helmcken telecommunications Tower Replacement – Public Comments Invited

January 27, 2026 – The Canadian Coast Guard must determine whether the proposed Mount Helmcken telecommunications tower replacement, located on Mt. Helmcken within the municipality of Metchosin B.C. is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects.

To help inform this determination, the Canadian Coast Guard is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination. All comments received will be considered public and may be posted online.

Written comments must be submitted by February 27 2026 to:

Canadian Coast Guard – Marine and Civil Infrastructure
25 Huron Street, Victoria B.C.

(236) 464-3649

Jordan.grootendorst@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

 

The Proposed Project

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) is planning to replace the existing 61-meter guyed tower with a similarly sized self-supporting tower. This project is planned for April 2026 and will be conducted in four phases.

In Phase 1, CCG crews will arrive on site and remove the antennas and salvageable equipment from the small tower located sixteen meters southwest of the 61-meter tall guyed tower. The salvaged equipment will then be installed on the existing radar tower situated south of the main building. Once this work is complete, the CCG crews will dismantle the small tower.

Phase 2 involves the construction of the concrete base for the new tower. This base will be built by the tower contractor adjacent to the main building on the north side, between the building and the existing 61-meter tower. The work will include rock drilling, some vegetation grubbing, and surface soil removal, followed by the construction of formwork and the pouring of concrete. The exact location, size and spacing of the tower base will be determined based on CCG deliverables specifications and the Contractors tower plan specifications.

In Phase 3, a tower installation company will be contracted to design and build the new tower according to specifications provided by the CCG. The contractor will arrive on site and construct the tower on the newly built base. The new self-supporting tower will be of similar height to the existing tower, though the actual height will be determined by the contractors based on design and structural requirements.

Finally, in Phase 4, the CCG rigging crew will return to the site to transfer all communications equipment from the existing tower onto the new tower. The method of dismantling will be established based on the contractor's proposed methodology.