NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release 2006FOR0022-000384 April 6, 2006	Ministry of Forests and Range and Minister Responsible for Housing
PROVINCE HELPS COMMUNITIES BUST GROW-OPS

VICTORIA – Amendments to the Safety Standards Act will help local authorities target and shut down marijuana grow operations more quickly and efficiently, Minister Responsible for Housing Rich Coleman announced today.

 

      “The number of grow-ops in our province is increasing and so are the problems associated with these operations,” said Coleman. “Grow-ops are more likely to catch fire, more likely to have guns inside and are more likely to be robbed. They pose a danger to our neighbourhoods and we’re determined to shut them down.”

 

With these amendments, electricity companies will be required to give municipalities information about residences with unusual power consumption, so local authorities can target grow-op houses more efficiently.

 

“Marijuana grow-ops are a $7-billion industry in B.C. and they are largely controlled by organized crime,” said John Les, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “This new tool will be an innovative way to find out where these criminals are operating and put them out of business.”

 

Grow-ops in homes also pose an electrical safety risk. A house with a grow-op is considerably more likely to catch fire than a typical home. Dangling lights and wires can trap emergency responders and result in electrocution.

 

Fire Chief Len Garis, chair of the Fire Chiefs Association of BC, Public Safety Initiative, welcomed the new legislation. “When our members enter homes, our first priority is firefighter safety and to save lives,” he said. “We don’t want to worry about the additional threats posed by grow-ops, such as electrocution from dangling wires and dangerous lights.”

 

“I’m pleased that the government of British Columbia is leading the fight against grow operations,” said Marvin Hunt, president of the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. “A pilot project conducted in Surrey last year demonstrated how successful this approach can be. In just three months, we dismantled 119 grow operations. This legislation will clearly go a long way for B.C. communities.”

 

Tips from the public remain the best source of information for police about potential grow-ops. Here are several ways to identify possible grow operations:

 

• Entry to the home is usually through the garage or a back entrance to conceal activity.
• Windows are boarded or covered and may have a layer of condensation.
• Equipment such as large fans, lights and plastic plant containers is carried into the home.
• Sounds of construction or electrical humming can be heard.
• Strange odours (a skunk-like smell) emanate from the house.
• The neighbourhood experiences localized surges or decreases in power.

 

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Media contact:	Max Cleeveley Communications Director Ministry of Forests and Range 250 387-8486
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