Antenna towers come in many shapes and sizes, from small units on lampposts, to the familiar tall towers.

With more Canadians than ever using wireless devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs demanding more services and faster data, we need increasingly more towers to meet demand.

But demand for service has to be balanced with the needs of Canadians and their communities. So, it's the law for companies that want to build a tower to first look at sharing existing structures or infrastructure, such as rooftops or water towers.

Since antenna systems can handle a limited number of calls or data traffic at once, there are more towers and other antenna structures in high population areas. In suburban areas, towers are often farther apart, but in dense urban areas, they will be closer together. There are approximately 13,000 wireless antenna towers across Canada and this number is increasing to meet demand.

Industry Canada has taken steps to balance the increasing demand for wireless services with the needs of neighbourhoods and communities across Canada. We have revised our Antenna Tower Siting Procedures to ensure municipalities are involved early in the process when a new tower is proposed.

If there are no existing structures that can be shared or used, a company can begin the process of building a tower. Companies are required to:

• clearly notify and consult residents when a commercial tower of any height is planned and address their concerns;
• meet the reasonable and relevant requirements of the local land-use authority (usually the municipality);
• adhere to the Government of Canada's technical and safety requirements for towers; and
• build any new tower within three years of consulting with residents.