LANDLORDS UNFAIRLY TARGETED

The proposed bylaw concerning marijuana grow-op operations whereby
landlords are to be fined $10,000, is too broad and the fine too high.

If a landlord finds a grow-op on his/her property and reports it to
the RCMP and/or the City of Chilliwack within 15 days of discovering
it, they should be exempt the $10,000 fine. When the operation is
busted as a result of the landlord's call, and if there are monies
recovered as proceeds of the crime, I believe the landlords should be
reimbursed for the damages done to their property.

If the landlord neglects to report a grow-op for more than 15 days
after he becomes aware of it, then he is suspect, and should be faced
with fines.

It is not the job of landlords to police this city for drug dealers.
It is a nightmare for any landlord to find a grow-op on his property
and I'm sure they're doing all they can to try to choose tenants
carefully. Landlords deserve the protection of the law as well as any
other citizen to protect properties from such vandalism.

The city should be looking for ways to protect property owners in this
city from grow-ops moving in instead of penalizing those who provide
public housing. The problem is so massive these days that people who
once considered buying rental properties as an investment are now
looking elsewhere to put their money.

This bylaw will only serve to further reduce the number of available
rental units in this city and create even greater problems for our
poor and working poor.

Mary McNeill

Chilliwack