PILOT POT PROJECT WILL BE PERMANENT BY '06

A pilot program that hits marijuana growers in the pocketbook will become
permanent by 2006 in Abbotsford.

Based on 120 tips it received in the past six months, the Grow Op Safety
Pilot Project found marijuana growing in 30 homes and collected more than
$18,000 in fines and fees from property owners.

The project's team members found children living in 10 of those grow-ops
and hazardous electrical bypasses in 20 of the home.

All 30 houses were professionally cleaned and restored to building code
standards.

"This project made our neighbourhoods safer and was an innovative and
resourceful approach to a problem that is prevalent in many communities,"
said Abbotsford Mayor Mary Reeves during an update on Friday morning.

Since May, the pilot has cost $93,000. It was funded by an $80,000 grant
from the Solicitor General's office that local MLAs John van Dongen and
Mike de Jong helped secure.

The program continues until December and is expected to be made permanent
in 2006, when two more three-person teams will be hired to assist the
current one.

The project was based on local government's jurisdiction through the
Community Charter, the Fire Services Act, the B.C. Building Code and the
Controlled Substance Bylaw to inspect homes that may pose a threat to
public safety.

"It's a matter of not if but when an emergency responder or someone in the
public would be injured or killed," said Mike Helmer, Abbotsford Fire
Rescue Service assistant chief.

The project's aim was to improve public safety, eradicate grow operations
and to recover fire, police and city costs from owners whose properties
contain marijuana grow operations or street drug labs.

Helmer said the program was successful in heading off dangerous situations
presented by some grow-ops and getting the message out to property owners.

"When you're a landlord, it's your responsibility to inspect your homes and
if you don't do regular checks, then you'll end up paying for it," he said.

The fire service billed owners for fires due to grow-ops, at an average of
$1,500 an hour, said Helmer.

Property owners had to pay for repairs, inspection fees and fines, and some
of those with children had them removed by the Ministry of Children and
Family Development.

Since January there were two grow-op related fires, while there were five
similar fires in the same period in 2004.

Helmer said he suspects the number of fires are down because there may be
less grow operations in the area.