HIGH POWER HOMES DRAWING ATTENTION

Richmond Fire Chief Jim Hancock says councillors will have a report
in their hands next month on an initiative aimed at helping weed out
local marijuana grow-ops.

Hoping to mirror the successes in Surrey--where a joint initiative
with B.C. Hydro sees that city's firefighters check on homes that use
much more than the normal amount of electricity which is often a
tell-tale sign of a grow-op--city staff are studying whether it's
feasible to set up something similar here.

During home inspections in Surrey, some 150 children have been found
living in homes converted into marijuana grow-ops. The electrical
wiring in these homes is often tampered and chemicals and moulds make
for less than ideal living conditions for children.