Green Tide Summit will help combat marijuana grow operations in Ontario
QUEEN'S PARK, Jan. 28 /CNW/ - As part of the McGuinty government's
commitment to safer communities, Monte Kwinter, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, announced today that the ministry and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) will co-host the first-ever summit to tackle the increasing problem of marijuana grow operations.
To be held in Toronto on March 4-5, the event will bring together
representatives of various levels of government, law enforcement officials,
public utilities representatives and the private sector to discuss ways to
combat grow operations throughout the province.
"This will be the first time all parties will be getting together to work
on a co-operative and comprehensive approach aimed at stamping out marijuana grow operations," Kwinter said. "Our dialogue will produce co-ordinated action plans outlining steps each group can take to eliminate grow operations in our communities. The safety of our communities is at risk and that's unacceptable."
Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner Gwen Boniface pointed to the
recent raids in the Barrie area as indicative of how sophisticated and well
financed these grow operators are. "They had been operating for some time, and no one knew," she said. "It's typical of these types of operations. They're
smart, well financed and ruthless in their pursuit of profits."
Halton Regional Police Service Chief Ean Algar, president of OACP,
agreed. "These operations endanger children and their families," Algar said,
pointing out that the Green Tide Report, released recently by the OACP,
indicates about 10,000 children may have been raised in grow houses and many of these are established close to schools. Marijuana grow operations are largely controlled by Organized Crime. These operations are found everywhere - in urban and rural communities and in residential areas."
Hydro One President and CEO Tom Parkinson pointed out that marijuana grow operators steal millions of dollars in electricity every year. "This is not
only a drain on the Ontario economy that affects all electricity customers,
who end up paying higher rates, but also a safety issue because of the
increased risk of fire and even electrocution in a grow op dwelling,"
Parkinson said.
"It's only by working together with the OACP to facilitate this summit
that we will be able to take this critical first step in ensuring our
communities remain safe," Kwinter said.
