TENANTS DESERVE PROTECTION

When it comes to thinking outside the box, the City of Surrey
deserves kudos for steps it has taken in its battle to eradicate
marijuana grow-ops and drug labs.

This week, Surrey council passed a bylaw, putting pressure squarely
on homeowners, who face having their homes declared uninhabitable in
the event they've been used to grow B.C. bud.

Interestingly, the effort will also aid prospective home-buyers, and
more importantly tenants, in getting all of the facts they need to
make an informed decision.

The bylaw will allow the city to place a notation on the city tax
notice, effectively a red flag to anyone doing their due diligence.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie believes it's worth taking a look at
what Surrey's doing.

It was just two years ago that a rash of grow-rips victimized
innocent families, who were terrorized only because they unwittingly
rented a home that was previously a grow-op.

After changes were made to property disclosure forms by the
province's real estate organization, then Solicitor General Rich
Coleman pledged to have his staff look into whether changes to the
province's Residential Tenancy Act were warranted. But there's been
no public indication that changes have been made.

The City of Richmond would be well served to quickly look at what
Surrey's doing and follow suit.

Taking steps to ensure tenant rights would be a great public
relations move. It would also show that the city genuinely cares
about those who can't afford to buy.