Alberta government releases final report on remediation of grow-ops

From mandatory safety inspections to a public campaign about their dangers, the provincial government has accepted all the suggestions from a new report about grow-ops.

The Grow-Op Free Alberta Final Recommendations Report includes 37 recommendations regarding former marijuana houses, including how they will be remediated in the future.

They include more information to communities on their dangers and how to recognize them, as well as necessary inspections of homes that have been used to grow pot.

Mortgage lenders and insurance companies will also be required to report on suspected grow-ops and landlords will have to inspect a property yearly and evict a tenant if one is discovered.

Minister of Justice and Solicitor-General Jonathan Denis says air quality testing guidelines for remediation will also be established, as well as basic qualifications for environmental and remedial consultants and he also had a message for potential homebuyers who may be weary of purchasing such a home.

“That is their right and I think that we want to provide better notice to them about properties that were grow-ops, so they can make an informed decision as private consumers,” he said.

The need for a public campaign also stems from the report’s findings that complacency about recreational pot use and fear of reprisals makes it difficult to find and shut down grow-ops.

Some of the recommendations will take more time to implement, such as a proposal to place a caveat on the title of a property if it has been a grow-op and then remove it once it has been reclaimed.

“That would encourage private sector developers to come in and deal with a particular property, but at the same time, it would also provide notice to consumers, because what I don’t want are unsuspecting consumers purchasing these types of properties and they have all the issues,” he said.

Associate Minister of Public Safety, Rick Fraser said consumers should also know about current safety measures done by AHS.

“Alberta Health Services would never release a home or pass an inspection back into the community without it properly being safe for that person,” he said.

Denis added this report had nothing to do with the federal debate over decriminalization of marijuana, but standing in front of a former grow-op in Calgary’s northeast, he did say they can’t wait to act.

“The reality is properties like this are happening in Calgary, in Edmonton, throughout Alberta, unfortunately every month police get more and more of these properties reported to them every month and simply doing nothing is not an option,” Denis said.

(With files from the Canadian Press and 660News)