NEW BYLAW TAKES SWIPE AT GROW OPS

North Cowichan Landlords Will Soon Be Required To Keep Close Tabs On
Their Tenants.

On Feb. 21, North Cowichan council passed a bylaw that mandates land
owners to inspect their rental properties once every two months to
ensure tenants are not damaging dwellings. The bylaw is meant to
deter people from running marijuana grow operations.

"The bylaw is dealing with safety," North Cowichan director of
administration Mark Ruttan says.

Councillor Glen Ridgway says council worked in conjunction with
police to establish the two month time frame. Based on the growth
cycle of marijuana, routine checks every two month would prevent
plants from reaching maturity. Council hopes the bylaw will prompt
landowners to take responsibility for rental properties.

"If you don't keep an eye on your building, you are subject to having
grow ops," Mayor Jon Lefebure says.

Councillors Dave Haywood and George Seymour voted against the bylaw.
Both saw the two month time period as too restrictive.

"I think it is an arduous responsibility to require inspections every
two months," Haywood says. "It is also a major inconvenience to the
95 per cent of tenants who are not involved with marijuana grow operations."

Haywood had hoped the time period would be extended to once every six
months, noting it does not stop landlords from checking rentals every
two months if they choose to. He says landlords are not keen to
interrupt the lives of their tenants.

"I have talked to some property owners who have several rentals and
they encouraged me to raise the issue that two months was too
frequent," Haywood says.

He noted there are no requirements for regular checks on
owner-occupied houses and apartments and wondered what the ratio of
grow ops in rental units is to those in privately owned buildings.

North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP Const. Sue Boyes says marijuana grow
operations are a problem throughout B.C.

She was unable to give a precise number of grow op busts in the area.
Two years ago police did record a building fire which was caused by a
marijuana grow operation.

Ladysmith is looking into adopting a similar bylaw as a tool against grow ops.

Ladysmith RCMP Cpl. Rob Graves says he thinks such a bylaw is a step
in the right direction.