Pubdate: Wed, 07 Jun 2006
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Zen Ruryk, City Hall Bureau Chief
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

CITY MAY BILL GROW-OP LANDLORDS

Toronto councillors are looking at hitting the owners of homes used 
as marijuana grow-ops with fees to recover the cost of busting the operations.

Absentee landlords rent out many of the dwellings used by criminals 
to cultivate marijuana, Councillor Michael Thompson said yesterday.

The city should send landlords a bill to recover the thousands of 
dollars it costs to deal with a grow house, he said.

"It will make landlords much more accountable in terms of who they 
rent to," Thompson said.

The city should have discretion to let off property owners if they 
can show they made attempts to find out what was going on in a 
dwelling used to grow pot, he said.

Toronto's administration committee directed city bureaucrats 
yesterday to report on the issue.

When police raid a grow-op, they call Toronto Hydro and the building 
and health departments to deal with problems such as mould and 
possible electrical hazards.

Councillor Doug Holyday said he doesn't want the city to go after 
responsible landlords who inadvertently rent to pot growers.

"If somebody's car gets broken into or someone's house gets robbed or 
they get held up or shot or whatever, we don't charge the innocent 
victim," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman