Pubdate: Tue, 08 Aug 2006 Source: Guelph Mercury (CN ON) Copyright: 2006 Guelph Mercury Newspapers Limited Contact: http://www.guelphmercury.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1418 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) GROW OPS AN UNSAFE BURDEN In recent years, Guelph residents have increasingly been surprised to find some people have been engaging in illicit activity behind closed doors nearby, including growing marijuana. And for real estate agents, it is often the hunch of neighbours that is the only thing they have to go on when selling a house that could have been a grow operation in a former life. Both home buyers and the agents, however, are on the verge of having more protection when it comes to listing or purchasing a home that has a less-than-appealing history. If provincial Community Safety Minister Monte Kwinter follows through on an idea for a registry of grow labs or crystal methamphetamine operations, he will provide a level of protection not previously seen on the real estate market in Ontario. The registry, which the government must move to get off the ground, would fix the current situation, which allows for such a home to be sold without anyone knowing what took place there. Homes that have been used to grow marijuana can be full of mould and electrical hazards. In Guelph, firefighters discovered a marijuana grow operation after responding to an electrical fire in March. In Mississauga last month, two men emerged in flames from a crystal meth lab that had caught fire. One subsequently died and families had to be evacuated from nearby homes because of the dangerous chemicals stored in the home turned lab. The problems posed by marijuana and crystal meth operations are not simply cosmetic. They are deadly, and in the case of mould, can cause health problems if anyone were to unwittingly purchase a former grow house. New legislation introduced this week will go a long way to help real estate agents and buyers. Municipal inspectors must now look over grow operations and order repairs if necessary. Perhaps it would also be a good idea if real estate agents were obliged to tell police they think they may have a former grow op on their hands. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman