GROW-OP BUSTS' COSTS TO BE PASSED ON TO CITY LANDLORDS

Landlords whose Vancouver homes are used for marijuana grow-ops will now be
forced to pay the cost of the bust.

Vancouver City Council has agreed to pass on the $1,700 it costs police to
bust a grow-op, tacking it on to the owner's property-tax bill.

Police make an average of eight busts a week, at a cost of nearly $14,000 to
city police in staffing time.

"[Police] make arrests, if necessary, they dismantle the operation, the
plants and any equipment," said Carlene Robbins, the city's manager of bylaw
administration.

"Those costs have been borne by the city, and ultimately the taxpayer."

In Vancouver, owners of homes used for grow-ops already have to pay the city
for inspections and permit fees before reoccupying the property after a
bust.

The cost of busting drug labs is even higher, ranging from $3,000 to $15,000
per home. These too will be passed on to owners.

In the past 18 months, there have been five drug-lab busts in Vancouver
homes.

"The costs that truly go into investigating these are significant. It's a
cost to the city," said Const. Sarah Bloor of the Vancouver police.

The city's Grow Busters program was created in mid-2000 as a joint task
force of police, fire and utilities employees.

Last year, it dismantled 378 grow-ops, seizing marijuana worth $6.7 million.

Surrey, Port Moody, North Vancouver and Chilliwack also recover drug-bust
costs from property owners.