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Hydro, building inspectors to get power to enter homes to fight grow ops

Colin Perkel | Canadian Press | October 07, 2004

TORONTO -- Hydro utilities in Ontario may soon have the power to cut off electricity to suspected Marijuana grow operations without any warning to the home's occupants.

Community Safety Minister Monte Kwinter had spoken earlier Thursday of planned legislation this fall that would give hydro and other inspectors the power to enter homes.

But after a cabinet meeting, Kwinter told reporters at an impromptu news conference that he wouldn't be doing that after all.

Instead, he said, hydro companies would be able to act immediately to cut power if they believe the electricity is being used to grow pot plants indoors.

''Someone will be able to cut off your power without telling you about it, without notice, because we think you're doing something illegal,'' Kwinter said.

[Suetaznote: I'd swear that sounded like it was coming from John Walters.]

Suspicion could be aroused, for example, by an unusual pattern of hydro use or excessive heat coming from a home, indicative of the bright lamps used for growing Marijuana indoors, he said.

Grow-ops, which Kwinter called a ''real scourge,'' are estimated to cost $80 million a year in electricity theft.

There are also serious safety issues as they pose a major fire hazard, and some of the homes have had children inside.

New Democrat Michael Prue told Kwinter a warrant should be needed before any action is taken against a suspected grow-op.

''We live in a country of laws, not one where somebody can arbitrarily cut off your electricity and by chance kill someone on a respirator,'' Prue said.

''You just can't do that.''

Kwinter had noted earlier it is difficult for police to get a search warrant without first knowing what is inside a home.

As a result, he said building inspectors would get new powers to enter homes. But he later said inspectors already have the ability to enter a home to investigate safety issues.

[Suetaznote: So building inspectors are cops now too? The next thing they will be complaining about is that inspectors need some way to protect themselves from the ones that run these grow ops. Then they'll want more money from the government for hazard pay or something.]

The planned legislation would simply codify their ability to act on a tip from police.

In March, the RCMP reported phenomenal growth in the number of illegal grow-ops in Ontario.

Police estimated as many as 15,000 operations were active, and grow-op busts have become an almost daily occurrence. The problem is being seen across the country.

Police have long maintained the cash generated by grow-ops goes to organized crime.

Kwinter also said insurance companies are going to become part of the solution by explicitly exempting grow-ops from coverage, leaving the owner of the home on the hook for any related property damage.

[Suetaznote: Insurance companies are already in on it by cutting off insurance to medical Marijuana growers. Steve and Michele Kubby were evicted by their landlord because the landlord's insurance company threatened to cut him off because there was Marijuana growing in the home. Steve had an inspector come and deem the house safe and they were evicted anyway.]

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