Pubdate: Wed, 04 Jul 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 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) PAYING THE POT PRICE Coquitlam's inspection program hands out fines to owners of 21 suspected grow op homes in first month of operation Twenty-one Coquitlam homeowners have been slapped with hefty fines and had their power cut off in the last month as part of the city's crackdown on marijuana grow operations. Since the one-year pilot Public Safety Inspection Program was launched about a month ago, 23 properties have been inspected by teams comprised of city building and bylaw inspectors, an electrical inspector, an RCMP officer and a member of Coquitlam Fire/Rescue. Twenty-one of them have had their hydro shut off because of electrical fire safety hazards related to grow ops, said acting city solicitor Lisa Parkes, and their owners fined $5,000 for a follow-up safety inspection. (Power will not be reinstated to a flagged property until it has passed that inspection.) In addition, more than $2,000 in fines have been levied against property owners for bylaw infractions related to building modifications, mould, interference with power, unauthorized occupancy and noxious odours or fumes. Two homes were inspected without action: At one, investigators didn't have enough evidence to prove it housed a grow op; at the other, the owner was operating an unauthorized business to which the excessive power was attributed. Once a residence is identified as having high energy consumption, the inspection team will do an exterior search of the home and give 48 hours notice of an interior search. By that time, there usually isn't grow op-related equipment inside but other signs such as mould and altered electrical systems point toward the illegal activity, Parkes said. Council approved the $1.3-million program in March, citing concerns about fires, carbon monoxide poisoning, dangerous mould, building code infractions and grow rips. The program is designed to recover all costs, including the hiring of four full-time staffers. Although an RCMP officer participates in every inspection, criminal investigations do not occur as a result. "I think so far the program is doing what it's aiming to do, which is to get rid of these electrical safety issues and move the grow ops out of Coquitlam," Parkes said. Officials say anyone who suspects there is a grow op in their neighbourhood should call Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman