CITY BYLAWS MAY BE COPIED IN CANADA

Abbotsford Mayor Mary Reeves said communities across Canada are starting to
look at copying this city's bylaws to fight grow-ops, a growing nation-wide
problem.

She attended the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Conference this
week and noted, also the growing problem with crystal meth.

The mayor said tightening up the bylaws in the city has resulted in
identifying more than 20 houses with grow ops and she believes the city is
making some headway with the problem.

She said grow-ops create undue fire hazards in the community and therefore
it is a public safety issue.

The mayor also noted that it devalues properties.

In fact, the bylaw is an attempt to try to protect innocent, young first
time buyers from purchasing a house that may have been the site of a
grow-op, she said.

The mayor was not present at this Monday's council meeting when Jensen
presented his complaints because she was attending the police conference.

However, she said no houses have been shut down in Abbotsford, to her
knowledge, unless the evidence was clear there was a grow-op.

In general, if the water consumption is high, there is mould present in a
house and the wiring is faulty, that is pretty clear evidence of a grow op,
she said.

Commenting on Clarence Jensen's statements that there was no grow-op in his
rental house, Reeves said the faulty wiring in the house was still ample
reason enough to close it down.

"The fact is that bad wiring is hazardous to public safety."