NEWMARKET HYDRO SETS UP SNITCH LINE

Newmarket Hydro has set up a snitch line, hoping to chase away marijuana
grow-house operators with a habit of stealing power.

The Against Community Theft (ACT) hotline was launched Monday and the local
utility is encouraging citizens to report suspicious activity.

"Analyse what you're seeing and call if you think something's not right,"
said Newmarket Hydro spokesperson Lorraine Thivierge.

"You have to use a little common sense. You have to show respect for your
neighbours. Not everybody's bad."

After shutting down more than 24 grow houses in the past year, resulting in
the recovery of $250,000 in lost hydro revenue, Newmarket Hydro decided to
take action .

"I live in Newmarket and it really annoys me that these grow houses are
causing my bill to go up," Ms Thivierge said.

Grow-house operators not only face criminal charges when they are caught, Ms
Thivierge said the utility will not turn the power back on at the home until
the owner pays for stolen electricity.

Ms Thiverge said Newmarket Hydro places the onus on the homeowner even if
the house has been rented.

"The owner has the responsibility to know what's going on with their
property," she said.

One homeowner was handed a $55,000 bill after marijuana was grown in a
Newmarket home for nearly two years.

Ms Thivierge said the utility is still negotiating to recover the full cost.

Illegal grow houses consume between 10 and 20 times more electricity than a
normal home and add $10 to $15 to every hydro customer's bill annually, Ms
Thivierge said.

A grow house can consume as much as $2,000 per month in hydro, Ms Thivierge
said. With 24 operations shut down last year, Newmarket Hydro lost $576,000.

The hope is the hotline provides a more efficient way of catching grow-house
operators.

"We almost literally have to go through every account to see if there are
any anomalies. It's very time consuming. This (hotline) makes it a little
easier."

Ms Thivierge said Newmarket Hydro employees helped lead police to many of
the grow houses raided in Newmarket.

She said if an office employee or a field crew discover a hydro bypass, they
are advised to call police rather than confront occupants.

Meanwhile, officers were struck a serious blow when an Ontario Court of
Appeal ruled in January police helicopters require a search warrant before
using infrared technology to detect heat emissions from marijuana grow
houses.

To report suspicious activity, vandalism or theft, call 1-877-LETS ACT or
visit www.letsact.ca .