LANDLORDS STILL NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR GROW-OPS

A bylaw designed to reduce the number of marijuana grow operations and
other illegal drug operations in North Cowichan won't be put into
place until the province unveils its recommendations for the wording
of the rule.

The municipality voted Wednesday to table its draft bylaw for
now.

In April it began work on the bylaw, which would require: landlords to
make semi-annual inspections of their rental properties; professional
cleaning of carpets, walls and air ducts in homes where grow ops were
discovered; new building and occupancy permits if structural changes
were made; decontamination of pesticides and insecticides used in
production.

While it is aimed at grow ops, the bylaw would cover any building
where drugs are produced illegally - from moldy marijuana grow ops to
toxic and explosive crystal meth labs.

At the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities conference in late
September the province announced it would soon issue a sample bylaw
which could be used by the growing number of B.C. communities that are
adopting similar bylaws hoping to combat crime.

North Cowichan isn't expecting any surprises in that document, said
Mayor Jon Lefebure, but wants to see what it includes before adopting
its own policy.

The Community Policing Office has a free program to help landlords
ensure grow ops are not happening on their property.