BYLAW SENDS CLEAR MESSAGE TO GROWERS

Mission's police inspector says he welcomes adoption of bylaw 3772, which
allows the district to recoup police and remediation costs from owners of
residences busted as grow operations.

RCMP Insp. Pat Walsh said although the bylaw, adopted April 18, has no
bearing on the criminal prosecution of grow-ops, it does send "a clear and
united message to growers that this municipality, this community doesn't
want you here."

"This is a cost recovery mechanism for the extra costs incurred by the
municipality as a result of the criminality and irresponsibility of some
people," he explained. "It sends one more message to those who choose to be
irresponsible."

There is not a landlord in this province who's not aware of the problem of
grow operations. Landlords have a responsibility to inspect their property
and ensure it is free from this type of problem, he added.

Walsh said Mission RCMP respond to about 200 grow-op reports each year.
That puts the squeeze on staffing resources and results in expensive
overtime costs, he said.

"Obviously the grow-op problem has become so large, at least in this
community, that we don't have the staffing resources to deal with it," he
noted.

The bylaw also puts property owners on the hook for clean-up costs.

According to the bylaw, remediation measures can include securing or
guarding the property from unauthorized entry; disposal of controlled
substances and associated material and apparatus; disconnection of potable
water supply, electricity and natural gas; and necessary repairs, including
the hiring of tradespeople.

District of Mission Councillor Ron Taylor said the bylaw will pose "some
fairly significant penalties on the owner."

"If the owner finds out that he has a tenant who is conducting a grow
operation and tells the police, then we don't hold him responsible for all
these other costs," he explained. "But if he doesn't - and some
intentionally don't - then he is going to be signing a fairly large cheque."

Cost recovery incurred under the bylaw is in addition to any fines or
criminal charges laid as a result of the illegal activity, Taylor noted,
adding some caution was needed while drafting 3772 to ensure the
municipality did not "stray beyond the powers that [we] have."

"People are letting out properties, not supervising them, and I guess the
conclusion we came to was ... the idea that grow-ops are some harmless
little agriculture hobby, those days are gone."