LEGISLATIVE TOOLS TO COUNTER GROW-OPS

Marijuana grow-ops have become a booming industry and to tackle his
phenomenon, the province is being urged to give municipalities the power to
penalize land-owners and exact harsher penalties on the manufacturers.

A resolution to that effect was passed at the recent Union of B.C.
Municipalities conference after it was proposed by City of Chilliwack
representatives.

"There were two issues that came up repeatedly on this topic at the
conference. One was the call for harsher penalties for grow-op operators
and the second was the need for property owners to become financially
accountable for what goes on in their dwellings," says city councillor
Sharon Gaetz, who heard some of the UBCM debate on the motion.

There was "very little" opposition to the motion on the floor, she says,
but some speakers had reservations about enforcing the legislation.

"That's because of the limited rights of owners to enter their own
properties. We countered with the idea that landlords can pick up their
rent cheques in person. We're not out to target land-owners with this
motion, but we want them to know what's going on," she says.

Chilliwack RCMP brass recently briefed city officials on the actual costs
involved with dismantling a grow-op, with the innumerable man hours, the
paper work, and the team to seize the plants, she continues.

"What ends up happening, is it's the city, which pays the lion's share of
policing costs, is assuming the costs of taking down these grow-ops," she
says. "What we found is that the proliferation of grow-ops is a booming
industry and a fairly recent phenomenon. So consequently, some property
owners are unaware of what to look for. Some think it's enough for
potential renters to have great references."

One property owner told the councillor about being out a whopping $20,000
after being forced to strip the gyprock, electrical wiring and clean up the
general mess that was left behind.

"We would like to empower local governments to enact penalties on land
owners to help cover our costs," she says.

The other problem is that existing penalties for the growers are "so
insignificant that I think it encourages the operators to set them up. They
can make big bucks doing it," Coun. Gaetz adds. "This is just one tool we
would like to be able to use."

Grow-op hazards include the risk of fires caused by electrical bypass
assemblies and the risks to children who may live within them. The risks
are great for firefighters too, as some dwellings can house meth labs,
which are made with highly volatile chemicals..