VAUGHAN BLITZING GROW HOMES

Municipal Program Aims To Protect Homebuyers

Pitching warning signs outside marijuana grow houses or launching
Neighbourhood Watch-type anti-drug teams could help drive pot dealers
out of town, Councillor Linda Jackson says.

The efforts might even prevent the next narcotic threat, crystal
methamphetamine labs, from taking root in Vaughan neighbourhoods, she
believes.

"Today, it's grow ops. In six months, it will be meth labs, mark my
words. They're much more dangerous. They blow up," Ms Jackson said.

"They (drug dealers) are much less likely to come to a community if
there is heat. You always want to go somewhere where you can do your
business (quietly) and get out."

But she frowned on the idea of having councillors go door-to-door, as
two Scarborough politicians are doing, to ferret out marijuana grow
ops in their neighbourhood.

"I would be opposed to that. I think grow ops can be very deadly
environments," Ms Jackson said.

"It's known a lot of these houses are booby trapped to stop police and
other bad guys getting in."

Scarborough MP Jim Karygiannis and Toronto Councillor Mike De Grande
say they have uncovered a couple of grow houses in just the past week
using their unconventional methods.

Mr. Karygiannis has even gone as far as confronting two men he
suspected of tapping into hydro lines to power a grow house by parking
his car in front of their vehicle to prevent them from leaving until
police arrived.

The campaign leaves much to be desired as far as Ms Jackson is
concerned.

"I think that's taking the law too much into your hands. I wouldn't
support a vigilante action," she said.

"I think that's one step too far and putting themselves in danger."

Short of conducting door-to-door surveys, Ms Jackson wants Vaughan to
investigate several options.

For example, residents could set up Neighbourhood Watch-type
organizations to be on the lookout for grow houses, which they would
report to police and the city.

The groups could display anti-marijuana posters to warn drug dealers
residents are monitoring their communities for grow homes, Ms Jackson
said.

"It's an awareness campaign. If these guys know they will get a
backlash from neighbours, they will be encouraged not to do it. They
will go somewhere else. I want them to go somewhere else."

Ms Jackson also wants to consider posting large signs outside grow
houses busted by the police to warn potential new home buyers.

However, director of legal services, Heather Wilson, warned the signs
could draw criticism from neighbours worried the warnings will devalue
their homes.

But Ms Jackson insisted the signs could be a valuable tool in ridding
the city of grow houses.

"What devalues (neighbouring homes) more? What's the lesser of two
evils? That you've got a community where grow ops are accepted?"

Ms Jackson's suggestions come two weeks after councillors adopted an
innovative plan to fight grow houses.

While many municipalities are looking for ways to battle drug homes,
Vaughan's policy calls for York police to immediately notify city
bylaw officers when they have shut down an operation and completed
their investigation.

That allows bylaw officers to get inside right away to look for any
health and safety hazards.

If they detect problems, the bylaw officers can issue property
standards orders against the property which remain on file to alert
potential new buyers.

Det.-Sgt. Karen Noakes, with the force's drugs and vice squad, is
applauding Vaughan's campaign to wipe out grow houses.

"I guess I would encourage anything they can do with enforcement or
legislation they have," she said.

"We've always said it's more than just a police problem. We definitely
need their assistance."

Meanwhile, while Det.-Sgt. Noakes said police here are bracing for
crystal methamphetamine labs to make their way from British Columbia,
she said officers haven't found any yet.