NEW POWERS SLATED TO FIGHT GROW-OPS

Ontario residents soon may be forced to allow hydro, building, and other
inspectors into their homes as part of a planned crackdown on marijuana
grow-ops.

Legislation will be introduced this fall to give the inspectors the power
to enter homes if they suspect the illegal activity, Community Safety
minister Monte Kwinter said today.

"What happens now is that some of these people just aren't allowed to enter
into a private home," said Kwinter. "We want to make sure that they have
the ability to combat what is becoming a real scourge."

Being able to knock on a door and demand entry is a power not even police
have--unless they have first obtained a search warrant.

The problem with that, Kwinter said, is that it's difficult to get a
warrant without first knowing what's inside. "This will give authority to
various of these agencies to be able to go in and do an inspection," he noted.

Kwinter said inspectors "hopefully" would only act if they have "probable
cause" to believe there's a grow-op inside.

That could mean an unusual pattern of hydro use or excessive heat coming
from a home--indicative of the bright lamps used for growing pot indoors.

Grow-ops are estimated to cost $80 million a year in electricity theft, and
there also are serious safety issues as they pose a major fire hazard and
some of the homes have had children inside.

In March, the RCMP reported phenomenal growth in the number of illegal
grow-ops in Ontario. Police estimated as many as 15,000 operations were
active and grow-op busts have become an almost daily occurrence.

The problem is not exclusive to Ontario and is being seen across the country.

Besides the dangers posed by the grow-ops, police have long maintained the
cash they generate goes to organized crime.

Kwinter also said insurance companies are going to become part of the
solution by refusing to cover homes damaged by grow-ops--leaving the
homeowner on the hook in case of rental properties.