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View Full Version : The americanization of canada


Batman
04-26-2006, 04:48 AM
unfortunately I don't currently reside in canada, but this is bad i think, no.?
this type of action seems terribly american. As an american I would like to welcome you to the world of increasing decreasing of your privacy.



19 Apr 2006

British Columbia
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Provincial Government Is Determined To Shut Down Grow Ops

Powell River is investigating a new provincial law directed at marijuana grow operations in the community.

The province has introduced new legislation that requires BC Hydro to hand over to municipalities a list of all addresses with unusually high power consumption.

Councillors passed a motion at the April 11 council meeting directing staff to prepare a bylaw that reflects the new legislation.

Councillor Bob Astrope said he and Mayor Stewart Alsgard had met with RCMP senior staff to discuss the issue. "Once this bylaw is in place, they will have the authority to request this information from Hydro or Hydro will provide it to them immediately," Astrope said. "Then they can carry forward with what they need to do without having to go through the usual procedures."

Councillor Ted Rodonets said he saw the new legislation as an important step in giving the RCMP and the community some tools to combat illegal drugs. "I hope that more suggestions can be brought forward in terms of other types of drugs," he said.

Grow ops require an enormous amount of electricity. Before the new legislation, police had to have a home already under investigation before BC Hydro would release information about its electricity consumption.

Under the new law, BC Hydro and other electricity providers will be required to provide to any city that asks for it a list of all addresses in their jurisdiction with unusually high consumption.

In some grow ops, electricity is stolen. Those addresses would show abnormally low consumption levels, which would also be provided to police.

"It's one more tool that we have to deal with marijuana growers and to legally obtain access to that information," said Powell River RCMP Sergeant Andy Brinton.

Rich Coleman, minister responsible for housing, said the number of grow ops in the province is increasing and so are the problems associated with them. "Grow ops are more likely to catch fire, more likely to have guns inside and more likely to be robbed," he said. "They pose a danger to our neighbourhoods and we're determined to shut them down."

Grow ops 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.

Identifying grow ops

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.

Source: BC Government

Slarty
04-27-2006, 01:56 AM
Wow, I thought that sort of thing was tried and failed already? I thought Hydro could only be compelled with a warrant to release that kind of info?

Powell River is a small town too. If it can happen there it can happen anywhere.:jail:


Dangling lights and wires can trap emergency responders and result in electrocution.

Sounds like Darwin at work to me.:wagass:

Batman
04-27-2006, 02:08 AM
I almost bought a small pub in powell river a few years back..
still sort of regret not doing it.

The Cannarchist
04-27-2006, 02:16 AM
Not any more Bat.........Mind you the countryside is pretty empty around there I hear.........

c-ray
04-27-2006, 03:12 AM
last I heard hydro is still on our side, we make them a significant amount of $, but I'd imagine they'd comply in some of the making a point cases