CITY MAY BILL GROW-OP LANDLORDS

Toronto councillors are looking at hitting the owners of homes used
as marijuana grow-ops with fees to recover the cost of busting the operations.

Absentee landlords rent out many of the dwellings used by criminals
to cultivate marijuana, Councillor Michael Thompson said yesterday.

The city should send landlords a bill to recover the thousands of
dollars it costs to deal with a grow house, he said.

"It will make landlords much more accountable in terms of who they
rent to," Thompson said.

The city should have discretion to let off property owners if they
can show they made attempts to find out what was going on in a
dwelling used to grow pot, he said.

Toronto's administration committee directed city bureaucrats
yesterday to report on the issue.

When police raid a grow-op, they call Toronto Hydro and the building
and health departments to deal with problems such as mould and
possible electrical hazards.

Councillor Doug Holyday said he doesn't want the city to go after
responsible landlords who inadvertently rent to pot growers.

"If somebody's car gets broken into or someone's house gets robbed or
they get held up or shot or whatever, we don't charge the innocent
victim," he said.