SCARBOROUGH COUNCILLOR WANTS CITY'S NEW POWERS TO BE USED AGAINST GROW-OPS

'Start Testing The Water, Start Being Bold': Del Grande

The city needs to take bold action in testing its powers under the new
City of Toronto Act, according to a Scarborough councillor who's
hoping his colleagues will use the new legislation to tackle marijuana
grow operations.

"Everybody is all excited about the City of Toronto Act. 'Oh look at
all these powers.' And then everybody is timid to use these powers,"
Ward 39 Councillor Mike Del Grande (Scarborough-Agincourt) said Friday
following the first meeting of the city's new licensing and standards
committee.

"My position is, if you've got powers start using them, start testing
the water, start being bold."

Del Grande said the city has been lax in enforcement and he maintains
it's time to take "a more aggressive position with lawbreakers. "I
think a lot of long-term Torontonians are frustrated because they
don't see enforcement occurring. They see all kinds of activities,
whether they be illegal, or breaking bylaws etc., and they don't see
the enforcement so they ask the question, 'Why bother? Why should I
get a building permit when my next door neighbour had been building
whatever,'" he said, adding people get the impression "it's a
free-for-all."

When it comes to dealing with grow operations, 72 of which have been
busted in Del Grande's ward over the past four years, there are
several things the city could be doing, the first of which is
requiring on-title disclosure that a home has been used a grow house,
since toxic mould, chemical residue and structural damage can result
from indoor marijuana farming.

"We have 600 families that have bought these places or are living in
these places that the insurance company will not insure, the bank will
not give you a mortgage for so if we're here to protect citizens,
aren't we here to protect innocent citizens? Shouldn't we be helping
those people as opposed to the criminal?" Del Grande said.

He said he believes prospective buyers would benefit from having more
information about local properties.

"Well I think it would put the fear of God in a lot of landlords who
rent these things out to be more vigilant with their properties. It
would force them to clean up their properties," Del Grande said.

"It sends a message to the bad guys that it's not going to be as easy
as it used to be," he added.

Del Grande also maintains there needs to be more communication and
co-operation between city departments to ensure enforcement is being
carried out.