HYDRO WILL TARGET SUSPECTED B.C. GROW OPS

Heavy Users Of Electricity Will Be Reported To Police Under New B.C.
Legislation.

Near the end of this month, municipalities will have BC Hydro records
on demand, data which will be turned over to police to determine
whether spikes in power use were caused by a marijuana grow operation.

Marijuana grow ops require high power consumption, typically three to
10 times the amount used by a normal home.

"This amendment will help local authorities target and shut down
marijuana grow operations more quickly and more efficiently,"
Minister of Public Safety John Les said in the legislature Thursday,
as he introduced Bill 25. "With these amendments, municipalities will
now be able to obtain information from electricity companies about
residences with unusual power consumption."

The names and addresses of the account holders will now be given to
local authorities to investigate whether their homes contain a grow
operation, he said.

One of the main impediments to the program, investigators say, has
been the time-consuming process of acquiring BC Hydro information
through the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
(FOI). To obtain an FOI request, the city first had to have tips from
neighbours. Now the investigation process will be reversed: power
records first, then assessment.

Launched last year, the Electrical Fire Safety Initiative (EFSI)
involved fire, police, bylaw and building inspectors tracking high
energy use and posting a notice that the home will be inspected in 48 hours.

Len Garis, Surrey Fire Chief, acknowledges the new legislation will
be controversial.

"The new program may be viewed by some as an infringement of privacy,
however it is believed that the public's safety is more compelling
and outweighs any privacy rights," Garis said.