Pubdate: Wed, 07 Mar 2007 Source: Tri-City News (Port Coquitlam, CN BC) Copyright: 2007 Tri-City News Contact: http://www.tricitynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1239 Author: Lara Gerrits POWER PLAY AGAINST GROW OPS Coquitlam Program To Tackle Pot Farms Includes Fines And Inspections Got a grow op in your home? If you live in Coquitlam, beware. It's the message city hall is sending with the announcement of a new Public Safety Inspection Program allowing police and firefighters to shut down grow ops without a search warrant and slap more than $5,000 in fees on a property owner. New inspection teams -- comprised of city building and bylaw inspectors, an electrical inspector, an RCMP officer and a member of Coquitlam Fire/Rescue -- will soon be able to target households with high energy consumption. Under new amendments to the B.C. Safety Standards Act, BC Hydro can now release the information to municipal governments. Once a residence is identified to have high energy consumption, the inspection team will show up on site to do an exterior search of the home and give 48 hours notice of an interior search. If the inspection is denied, officials will cut the power supply to the house; once shut off, it will not be reinstated until the property owner has arranged for -- and passed -- a safety inspection and paid the $5,000 fee associated with it. "With this new public safety inspection program, we will be sending out a clear message that we will not tolerate these activities in our community," Mayor Maxine Wilson said at Monday night's city council meeting, where council unanimously give first three readings to the new Controlled Substance Property Bylaw used to administer the program. "The word will get out amongst the community that does grow ops [that] coming to Coquitlam is an expensive way to do business." Similar programs are already in place -- and successful -- in Surrey and Abbotsford, she said. According to RCMP statistics, approximately 45 grow op-related complaints have been logged by the Coquitlam RCMP detachment since the beginning of the year. "They're a huge problem," said Jim Ogloff, Coquitlam's assistant fire chief in charge of fire prevention. He said there's little room for error with the energy reports, noting those homes slated for inspection will have energy consumption at least three times more than the average. "[Levels] would far and away exceed anything you would normally experience in a home under regular use, even if you had a number of fridges and deep freezers going and a hot tub," he said. The major concern regarding grow operations from his standpoint is their potential for fire. In fact, a house with a grow op is 25 times more likely to have one, he said. "People typically wiring these homes are typically not trained to do what they're doing," Ogloff said. "This stuff is all being done in a fairly crude fashion." Other risks could include the potential for carbon monoxide poisoning, dangerous mould, building code infractions and, perhaps most seriously, grow rips occurring "on what is normally a crime-free street." In addition to the $5,000 inspection fee, $500 fines can also be charged for bylaw infractions related to building modifications, mould, interference with power, unauthorized occupancy and noxious odours or fumes. City spokesperson Therese Mickelson said the program, which is budgeted to cost $1.3 million this year, is designed to recover all costs, including the hiring of four new full-time staff members: a fire prevention officer, a bylaw/properties inspector, a building/plumbing inspector and a clerk. Coquitlam RCMP spokesperson Const. Brenda Gresiuk said the new program is fully supported by police, who will assist in the efforts by standing by during inspections. "It's a great way for partnering with the city to prevent crime in our community and make it a safer place," she said. Coun. Lou Sekora said the 48-hour timeline "troubles him" because people with grow ops or meth labs can easily pack them up and dump the equipment before an inspection happens. He also asked that social services be involved in inspections, in case there are children living in the targeted residences. "I bet there are thousands of grow ops going on right now in the Tri-City area," added Coun. Doug Macdonell, a former police officer. "I think we have to do everything we can to bring these down." Coun. Fin Donnelly asked that the program be monitored closely to ensure the $5,000 fees are covering all costs of the program. It is anticipated the bylaw will go forward to council for fourth and final reading at the next council meeting, March 19. Next steps will include finalizing the contract with the B.C. Safety Authority, which provides electrical inspectors, and collecting data on high electrical usage. Inspections are slated to start this spring, with a target of six to 10 per week once fully operational. Anyone who suspects there is a grow op in their neighbourhood should call the RCMP - --- MAP posted-by: Derek