New BC Real Estate Association report examines ways to remediate drug homes

New BCREA Report examines ways to 

Remediate Drug Homes

(L-R) Darlene Hyde, CEO, BCREA; Mike Farnworth, BC's Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor General; Norma Miller, Manager, Government Relations, BCREA; Ray Harris, Director, BCREA.

In an ongoing effort to convince the provincial government that growing cannabis at home is a safety risk, BCREA commissioned university researchers to develop criteria for a healthy home against which effective remediation could be measured.

The resulting report Ensuring Healthy Homes for British Columbians proposes a five-step remediation process in which a drug operation is discovered, inspected, remediated, re-inspected and ultimately designated as healthy enough for habitation.

The research, conducted by criminologists from the University of the Fraser Valley, was not based on legal or criminal matters, but rather the human health and safety issues arising from drug production in homes.

Given it is a public health issue, the researchers recommend that the responsibility for the remediation framework lies with the provincial Ministry of Health. BCREA presented the report to Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor General, on June 14, 2018.

The FVREB’s Government Relations (GR) committee has also been meeting with elected officials at all three levels of government to raise awareness on how the legalization of cannabis affects the real estate industry. Their discussions have included presenting BCREA’s new research and our new SafeGrowHomes.ca public-facing campaign. More details on the GR committee’s liaison activities will be reported in upcoming NewsReal stories.

As far back as 2011, the FVREB asked BCREA to take the issue of drug operations to boards and elected officials across the province. BCREA has been lobbying the Province to address REALTORS®’ concerns about health and safety risks associated with drug homes ever since.

BCREA intends to continue pursuing the issue further with other government officials and stakeholders.

More information:

• BCREA letter to Mike Farnsworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General
• BCREA’s research paper: “Ensuring Healthy Homes for British Columbians: Toward a Provincial Standard for the Remediation of Residential Properties Used in Drug Production” (May 2018)
• Summary of BCREA’s research paper (May 2018)

Gelderman.ca Real Estate Team
RE/MAX Aldercenter Realty

604-743-7653

www.gelderman.ca

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