DISTRICT TO TARGET GROW OPS

Maple Ridge Drafts a Bylaw That Aims To Bill Costs To The Landlords.

The costs of busting just one marijuana grow operation are high.

A new Maple Ridge bylaw now making its way through city hall, however, will
pass the accumulated costs of busting and dismantling a grow op, along with
making the home safely livable once again, back to the owner of the
property that's been busted.

"Basically, all those costs would be added up and it would be the
responsibility of the property owner to take care of those costs,"
explained Brock McDonald, director of business licensing, permits and
bylaws for the district.

The proposed bylaw was created out of the increase of residential and
commercial properties being used to manufacture marijuana and other illegal
drugs.

What's more, taxpayers foot the entire bill every time police, the fire
department and the district move in on a home to take down an pot operation.

According to a district report, the costs of busting one grow op can run as
high as $5,000 for police services alone. Last year, police raided around
25 grow ops, says Cpl. Rhonda Stoner, spokesperson with the Ridge Meadows
RCMP, adding police receive around 150 tips of suspected grow ops each
year, but finding the time and resources to tackle them all is impossible.

The district provided a list of the hourly costs for each agency commonly
involved with taking down a grow op.

A RCMP member with the rank of corporal runs $64.59 an hour with a two-hour
minimum charge. Add to that a bylaw enforcement supervisor to attend the
bust and the taxpayers shell out an additional $82.87 an hour. The services
of a health officer costs another $100 an hour if they're needed.

If there's risk of a fire or chemicals are found, the fire department would
be called.

The cost of one truck totals $300 an hour and each firefighter runs $30 an
hour.

For example, if you had five police officers, one bylaw supervisor, a
health officer, a fire truck and five firefighters, Maple Ridge taxpayers
are on the hook for a whopping $900 an hour.

Cpl. Stoner says that from a police perspective alone, each officer will
spend around eight hours dealing with a grow op, not to mention the
follow-up, which includes a raft of paperwork, filing court documents,
processing the suspects, and the eventual time in court for a trial that
could last up to five days.

With the number of grow ops being set up locally, McDonald says a bylaw
that will force the proprietors of illegal drugs to cover the cost of the
bust is an idea whose time has come.

"I think it's time we have to, (the) costs taxpayers are absorbing are
enormous," he said.

Similar bylaws are already in place in Pitt Meadows, Surrey and Chilliwack.
Along with making property owners responsible for the policing and other
costs, the new bylaw would see an education program aimed at property
managers and landlords to help become more aware of a possible grow op
being set up on their property.

McDonald says that if a property manager or landlord approaches the
district complaining their tenant might be growing pot, they would not be
responsible for paying for the costs of taking it down.

"If a landlord comes and says 'Help me'...none of those costs will be
charged to the property owners," McDonald said.

Meanwhile, if a property owner gets busted, they will be responsible for
having the home or property inspected by professional agency to confirm no
residual harmful material remain and the home is safe to live in.