Editor, The News:
Re: Fire damages grow op (The News, Sept. 16).
Maple Ridge Fire Chief Dane Spence made comments about firefighters attending these fires on an ongoing basis.
As a taxpayer, this intrigues me. I’m wondering why taxpayer dollars are going towards fighting fires for indoor grow operations, legal or otherwise.
I would like the cities and councils to enact bylaws in which property owners are responsible for any fires and damages as a result of marijuana grow operations, that fines be levied against them, and if they don’t pay, the amount is added to their tax bills.
Bylaws, police and fire services should be compensated for their time when things like this occur. It should not be a taxpayer burden.
If a person, home owner or tenant, decides to put a grow operation inside a residence, it should be mandatory that it be licenses by Health Canada, that proper electrical wiring is completed, that it is inspected and approved, and that bylaws, police, fire services are informed of the address.
If the grow op is illegal, all expenses for fighting fires, policing or bylaws investigations be billed directly to the property owner.
The same should apply if a fire at a legal grow op is the result of improper electrical connections.
If bylaws can impose fines for pet licenses and recreational vehicles that are too long for residential areas, then more should be done to make grow op operators accountable.
William Patrick
Maple Ridge