FOLLOW THROUGH ON GROW-OP STUDY FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT

The Key To Keeping Good News Good Is All In The Follow Through.

A new study says we are the leader in shutting down grow-ops.

Good news to be sure. But we want to see Surrey follow through on this.

An 80.9 per cent decrease in the number of residential marijuana
growing operations between 2004 and 2008 is being lauded in our community.

Understandably, Surrey's mayor Dianne Watts says the study shows that
we've been doing all the right things.

Just like our mayor, we're happy to see such encouraging signs.

An early look at the study tells us that all of the city's hard work
is indeed paying off.

Things like the city's innovative electrical and fire safety
inspection initiative (EFSI) that started in 2005, as well as the
efforts of the Surrey RCMP green team, bylaws department, BC Hydro
programs, and other crime-fighting initiatives under the city's crime
reduction strategy program are seemingly working - and that's great news.

But a study that says we've seen a decrease of 80.9 per cent (we're
still not sure how you can measure such things in such a precise
manner) doesn't mean much without follow through. We like the mayor's
idea of reaching out to our neighbouring municipalities and sharing
best practises.

We, like Watts, don't want the problem just to be pushed around from
jurisdiction to jurisdiction but rather addressed on a wider scale.

We're encouraged by what we see - Surrey being hailed as a leader
once again. Let's just make sure we follow through on it.