APOLOGY ISSUED FOR INCORRECT INSPECTIONS

Fifteen residents who had their properties incorrectly inspected under
the District of Mission's controversial bylaw to control marijuana
grow operations have received apologies and won't have to pay the
onerous inspection 'fee'.

The 'fee', which critics call a fine, can be as high as
$10,000.

Details of the situation are contained in a review of the Public
Safety Inspection Team done by Mission's deputy chief administrative
officer Paul Gipps that was presented to council Monday.

The review concentrated on 70 files that were "open" because the fines
had not been paid.

"It was determined that 15 did not have sufficient documented
information to meet the evidentiary test to support the classification
of a 'Controlled Substance Property', and these files have had the
fees reversed and outstanding remediation orders removed," wrote Gipps.

When asked if the district made a serious error, Coun. Jenny Stevens
said Monday, "no comment."

But Stevens wants apologies to go to more than 200 other property
owners who were inspected and have to deal with the fallout from
neighbours who assumed they had grow-ops.