BUDDING INTEREST

City Plans to Weed Out Dangers of Dismantled Pot Grow Ops To Homeowners

House buyers have a bud in Ottawa now that municipal staff are
drafting policies that will tip people off to former marijuana grow operations.

Bylaw enforcement manager Linda Anderson has been tasked with
developing the city's approach to making sure dismantled grow-op
properties are safe for the next family.

"We think we've established the best way to do this," Anderson said,
but details of the plan are hush-hush while city staff confirm the details.

Grow ops can leave deadly health hazards for those moving in after
the crooks have left. Mould and chemical residue often attach
themselves to a home used to grow pot.

Under new provincial legislation, police can order building
inspections for marijuana drug dens.

SAFE TO LIVE IN

Anderson said the city is looking at two ways it can make sure a
former grow-op building is safe for habitation if the home requires fixing.

For one, the city could send in its own contractors and bill the
property owner.

The other method would involve the city placing an order on the title
of the home. If a lawyer acting for the home buyers searches for any
liens on the property, the order would come up and the city would
explain the reasons.

"That's a way to protect the public when buying these homes," Anderson said.

Officials from bylaw, planning, building and health departments have
joined the Ottawa police in developing the plan. It's possible that
home buyers in Ottawa will soon have a portal where they can learn
where police are busting grow ops.

After the Ontario privacy commissioner allowed similar
information-sharing this year in York Region, Ottawa drug unit Staff
Sgt. Marc Pinault said police here are pursuing ways to get grow-op
details to the public.

The drug unit uncovers roughly 50 grow ops a year, but with the
addition of 10 new investigators on the squad, that number could grow
since the unit will have more cops devoted to organized crime,
including marijuana growers.

"That's why we have to make sure we have the resources to address
these issues," Anderson said. "We need to find an efficient but safe
way of dealing with it."

While the local cops are exploring an information-sharing system, the
province is also working on a similar database of drug houses.

Anthony Brown, spokesman for the Ministry of Community Safety and
Correctional Services, said a provincial registry is currently being
considered by an expert committee.

KNOW THE GROW

What Others in Canada Are Doing to Let the Public Know Where Grow Ops
Have Been:

- - Calgary: The Calgary Health Region recently began listing condemned
former grow ops online.

- - Guelph: Each grow-op bust is listed on the Guelph police website,
including the exact address and how many plants were seized.

- - British Columbia: The B.C. Real Estate Association includes
information about past marijuana operations in the Property
Disclosure Statement.

POT SPOTTING

How to Spot a Marijuana Grow Operation:

- - House has a "not lived in" feel: Many grow operations do not have
people living inside them.

- - Unusual visitor behaviour: Inconsistencies in visitors to and from
the residence, ranging from no visitors giving the appearance of
seclusion, to frequent visitors for short time periods.

- - Covered windows: Covered with white plastic, heavy curtains pressed
against the windows or blinds that are tightly shut and pressed
against the windows. These window coverings will never be opened.

- - Condensation: Humidity inside a grow room is approximately 65% with
temperatures above 30 C. These conditions cause condensation on
windows and walls that result in mould, mildew and rot.

- - Smells and odours: Skunk-like odour mixed with a sweet vegetative
smell or the unique smell of rotting cabbage. Also, the odour of
mothballs or fabric softener is frequently utilized to mask the smell
of the operation.

- - Sounds: The sounds of humming fans can be heard because the air
inside the growing rooms needs to be vented outside. The air may be
vented through the chimney, into the attic, or even into the sewer
system. In addition, the sounds of construction late at night could
be an indicator.

- - Localized power surges: Neighbourhood residences experience
unexplained power surges or power "browning" (decrease of power which
dims lights and slows down appliance use) with the return of normal
power flow approximately 12 hours later.

- - "Beware of Dog" signs: Used to deter trespassing, protect against
theft and detection by police.

- - History of premises: Residence or commercial premises have been
used as marijuana grow operations in the past. Many of these rental
properties are known among the criminal element as having been used
for growing marijuana then repeatedly used again.