SAFEGUARDS SOUGHT FROM MEDICAL GROW-OPS

Council has invited Chilliwack-Fraser Canyon MP Chuck Strahl to city
hall for a meeting to discuss medical marijuana licensing in the new
year.

Council passed a motion Monday requesting some face time with the
area's federal representative.

The goal is to address concerns raised by the city's public safety
committee around "the operation, licensing and monitoring" of medical
marijuana grow operations.

Mayor Sharon Gaetz said the concern is that the federal government,
which licenses medical marijuana through Health Canada, has not
provided the "scrutiny or the safeguards" to make sure the criminal
element is not involved.

"While we respect people's privacy, we also need to keep our community
safe," she said. "It's an issue we are just starting to wade into."

They've estimated there are more than 50 legal medical grows in
Chilliwack, but because of confidentiality issues city officials are
not apprised of where they are located.

"We have bumped into a few of them, and like with other types of
grow-ops, ventilation and electricity are issues, as is the number of
lights and plants," said Gaetz.

Because Chilliwack was found to have the second highest number of
marijuana grow-ops in 2002, city officials have learned to recognize
what a grow might look like, she said.

Residents have also reported living next to suspected grow houses,
saying "they can hear the fans and that the place is lit up like a
Christmas tree."

There's also the concern about the strong smell of the pot plants when
the operations are being ventilated, and if the house structures are
designed for this use.

"From my perspective as a mayor, we have bylaws to ensure peaceful
living for our community," she said. "We want to find a way to make
sure they're not growing for reasons other than helping people get
through pain."

Staff was asked to look into the zoning question in the new
year.

MP Strahl will be asked to offer some insight into the current
direction the federal government is taking on medical marijuana.

Council will also ask how it intends to enforce the criminal code, and
how it can help local governments keep their communities safe.