NO SPECIFIC GROW-OP BYLAW IN THE CITY

The City of Burnaby has no bylaw that specifically deals with grow ops, but
they do have a way of dealing with them.

According to Dan Mulligan, assistant chief building inspector, a home
that's been raided because of a grow op will often be covered by the
building bylaw.

One of the bylaw's sections deals with unsafe conditions, and until they're
dealt with, electricity and natural gas won't be reconnected to the house
and the building can't be occupied again.

"What they building bylaw says is you're not going to get the power back
until you come into our department and apply for an inspection," Mulligan said.

When the inspector comes by the house, if there's any other 'work' that's
been done without a permit, whether it's punching out a hole in the wall to
access electrical wires or adding on to the deck, has to be brought up to
standard as well.

They'll look at the condition of the electricity, the plumbing and the
natural gas as well.

"It doesn't address issues like mould because we in the building department
are not trained to deal with those issues," Mulligan said.

The safety inspection alone can cost $410.50, plus GST, he said.

If there's additional work that needs to be done to get the house in order,
the owner will have to get work permits, which Mulligan said are less
expensive in Burnaby than in some other communities.

"They tend to be hundreds of dollars, not thousands," he said. "Unlike some
jurisdictions, Burnaby hasn't gone to trying to recover all the costs of
policing."