DRUG BYLAW COULD TARGET CITY LANDLORDS

Landlords in Parksville could be required to more closely monitor their
properties if a proposed city bylaw, designed to fight in-home drug
production, sees the light of day

Following the example of some mainland B.C. municipalities and the Union of
B.C. Municipalities adopting so-called landlord responsibility bylaws after
discovery of marijuana grow operations and methamphetamine labs, the city
began debating one of its own Wednesday night. City planner Gayle Jackson
says the bylaw would essentially put the onus on a landlord to ensure their
rental properties don't become home to an illegal drug operation

"A bylaw then would have to collect money from landlords should there be a
problem, or a clean-up required," she says. "In the end, the responsibility
is on the home owner to be vigilant.

In only the early research stages, the bylaw received support from most
councillors - with some questions on enforcement and cost

"The city recently hired a second bylaw enforcement officer," says
Councillor Caroline Waters. "I worry about simply displacing crime. This
bylaw might force (drug labs) into the rural area where our police and fire
fighters are still first responders. I want to protect the taxpayers and
our workers."

Waters adds the cost of administering such a bylaw alone raises second thoughts

"The bottom line is, I want this to be affordable."

Instead of simply the bottom line, Coun. Sandy Herle urged council to
consider long-term costs to the city if steps aren't taken to eliminate or
reduce the availability of drugs in the community

"I think this is the next step," says Herle, Waters' opponent on the city's
mayoral ballot this November

"Somewhere we have to take responsibility for our community and take that
next step."

Coun. Marc Lefebvre says council shouldn't over blow the occurrences of
grow ops and meth labs in the city, adding it doesn't happen all the time.
He also wanted to know how such a bylaw would affect good landlords caught
in bad situations

Jackson says in bona fide situations where a landlord discovers a drug
operation on their property, it would be dealt with immediately

"However, that is not necessarily the issue covered by a bylaw," she
explains. "It is the clean-up (when something goes wrong)."

Other issues - from required inspections and rental units in the city, to
RCMP access and relations with neighbouring communities - were raised
during the council committee meeting and added to Jackson's ongoing
research into the proposed bylaw. Jackson says more work needs to be done
on the bylaw, and it must be reviewed by the city's legal counsel, before
it can be brought back to the table.