MAPLE RIDGE COUNCIL UNIMPRESSED WITH HEED'S RESPONSE

Maple Ridge council wants more legal power to hold landlords
accountable for illegal activity that occurs on their property, but
isn't satisfied with Solicitor General Kash Heed's response.

Council sent a letter to Heed on Nov. 9, indicating its support for
the implementation of Safe Community and Neighbourhood (SCAN) legislation.

SCAN legislation is intended to improve community safety by targeting
properties used for illegal activities such as drugs, gangs, and
prostitution, and holding property owners accountable for what takes
place on their property.

The District of Maple Ridge has struggled for years to curtail
illegal activity at a handful of properties, including Northumberland Court.

However, Heed's response, received earlier this month, gave no
indication such legislation was being considered.

"There are existing initiatives and programs that target drug
houses," Heed stated in his response. "The Civil Forfeiture Act
(2005) gives government the ability to target the financial base of
criminal activity."

Heed also mentioned RCMP's Coordinated Marijuana Enforcement Team and
the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit as tools in tackling
problem properties.

"We will continue to work with municipalities to find appropriate and
practical policy options to solve the problems associated with
nuisance properties," Heed concluded.

Many at council's workshop meeting on Monday were less than impressed
with the response.

"This tells us nothing," said Coun. Cheryl Ashlie. "This is an
ongoing community issue, and we should not accept this.

"We need to push back."

Coun. Craig Speirs said the legislation would give municipalities the
ability to act on problem properties, and clean up the streets.

"We're asking for help, and this is nothing," said Speirs. "I
wouldn't want to force it on a responsible property owner, but if
someone is hosting or allowing illegal activity to take place, there
should be something we can do."

Council voted to send another letter to Heed asking for specifics of
what the province plans to do to help municipalities deal with
problem properties.

Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows NDP MLA Michael Sather supports the
legislation and said he doesn't know why the government is dragging its heels.

"It's not a cure-all, but it's another tool in the toolbox," he said.
"If you have a problem landlord ... this could be very useful."

Similar laws have been adopted in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba,
Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Yukon.

Heed said the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General has
been examining SCAN legislation enacted elsewhere "to determine if
the program would be similarly effective in British Columbia and
would complement existing programs and initiatives aimed at
increasing community safety and security."

NDP MLA Bruce Ralston introduced SCAN in a private members bill in
2008, only to see the legislation fall off the table, never getting
past first reading.

In October 2009, a motion was brought forward at Union of B.C.
Municipalities (UBCM) asking the B.C. government to consider SCAN
legislation, modelled specifically after Alberta's legislation, "in
order to address the public disorder and neighbourhood deterioration
caused by illicit drug houses, problem addresses and the issues
association with them."

However, subsequent amendments watered down the language of the
motion, removing any reference to SCAN legislation, and instead asked
the government only to work with UBCM to create or improve existing
legislation.

Heed was unavailable for interview by press deadline.