Pubdate: Sat, 15 Nov 2008
Source: Penticton Western (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Penticton Western
Contact:  http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1310
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

REGION LOOKS TO EXPAND ARSENAL IN WAR ON DRUGS

Similkameen is hoping to take advantage of the same weapons in the 
fight against drugs that are used by cities throughout the province.

B.C. municipalities have the option to establish controlled substance 
property remediation bylaws, but regional districts do not.

It's about revamping homes that have been used as drug dens or 
grow-ops, to make them safe for owners, renters and neighbours. Some 
homes with grow-ops, for example, can have excessive mould buildup 
and illegal electrical wiring that can be a fire hazard.

Currently, regional districts are limited through the Local 
Government Act in their ability to adopt effective grow-op bylaws to 
address such issues.

The RDOS board has contacted provincial Minister of Community 
Development Blair Lekstrom, requesting he grant a variance that would 
allow the RDOS to use that type of legislation. The issue was 
presented to the board by RDOS's Policing Advisory Committee.

Lekstrom has the authority to allow the RDOS to create such a bylaw, 
said Bill Newell, the district's chief administrative officer.

"It'll go out under the chairs' signatures, probably within the next 
couple of weeks," he said.

Once an illegal activity has been discovered, often, the properties 
have been damaged.

"Sometimes, if it was a grow-op, the owner doesn't fix it up after 
charges have been laid," explained Newell.

"So this gives the municipality the authority to require them to 
remediate the property. It gives the government authority to fix it 
up and charge the owner, or if the account remains outstanding, it 
goes through the tax recovery process."

If someone complains that the house is derelict and requires repairs, 
the municipality can enforce the bylaw.

"I think each case would be evaluated separately," said Newell.

The issue was brought up at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities 
meeting in Penticton. It was resolved that the UBCM will lobby the 
provincial government to allow regional districts to complement their 
municipal partners' legislation. Without that connection, the 
differences set the scene to push the problems of the municipality 
into neighbouring regional districts.

According to the Policing Advisory Committee, the benefits of having 
the same bylaw power will enable a united approach to the issue. It 
would provide provincewide powers to protect residents, opportunities 
to assist the RCMP, public education and attract businesses and 
people to the province who know strong grow-op bylaws are in effect.

"I would say it would be a legislative change and would be available 
to all regional districts," said Newell. "However long the minister 
chooses to take action, or if he does take action, it will be up to him."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom