PAYING THE POT PRICE

Coquitlam's inspection program hands out fines to owners of 21
suspected grow op homes in first month of operation

Twenty-one Coquitlam homeowners have been slapped with hefty fines
and had their power cut off in the last month as part of the city's
crackdown on marijuana grow operations.

Since the one-year pilot Public Safety Inspection Program was
launched about a month ago, 23 properties have been inspected by
teams comprised of city building and bylaw inspectors, an electrical
inspector, an RCMP officer and a member of Coquitlam Fire/Rescue.

Twenty-one of them have had their hydro shut off because of
electrical fire safety hazards related to grow ops, said acting city
solicitor Lisa Parkes, and their owners fined $5,000 for a follow-up
safety inspection. (Power will not be reinstated to a flagged
property until it has passed that inspection.)

In addition, more than $2,000 in fines have been levied against
property owners for bylaw infractions related to building
modifications, mould, interference with power, unauthorized occupancy
and noxious odours or fumes.

Two homes were inspected without action: At one, investigators didn't
have enough evidence to prove it housed a grow op; at the other, the
owner was operating an unauthorized business to which the excessive
power was attributed.

Once a residence is identified as having high energy consumption, the
inspection team will do an exterior search of the home and give 48
hours notice of an interior search. By that time, there usually isn't
grow op-related equipment inside but other signs such as mould and
altered electrical systems point toward the illegal activity, Parkes said.

Council approved the $1.3-million program in March, citing concerns
about fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, dangerous mould, building
code infractions and grow rips. The program is designed to recover
all costs, including the hiring of four full-time staffers. Although
an RCMP officer participates in every inspection, criminal
investigations do not occur as a result.

"I think so far the program is doing what it's aiming to do, which is
to get rid of these electrical safety issues and move the grow ops
out of Coquitlam," Parkes said.

Officials say anyone who suspects there is a grow op in their
neighbourhood should call Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550.