TREVOR HARGREAVES
BRITISH COLUMBIA – As British Columbia continues to deal with a housing shortage, a new research study conducted by the University of the Fraser Valley Centre for Public Safety and Criminal Justice Research in partnership with the BC Real Estate Association (BCREA) finds problems with the current drug-home remediation process, and lays out a blueprint to standardize processes to assure standards of repair and help return these properties to the housing market.
As noted in the report, entitled Ensuring Healthy Homes for British Columbians: Provincial Standards for Remediation and Certification, the health hazards and safety issues associated with drug production in residential homes are complex and may vary by drug type. Contributing to the complexity of the situation are the varying municipal standards for residential remediation across British Columbia.
Updating a previous study conducted in 2018, this new report was written by Dr. Zina Lee and Dr. Irwin M. Cohen. It includes a review of RCMP police data on the number of illegal grow operations and synthetic drug labs in residential properties; a review of policies and practices across British Columbia; and interviews with 14 experts and stakeholders who have had direct experience working on the issue of residential homes used in drug production.
Key findings:
- Police data indicated that most incidents of residential drug production occurred in a single detached house, townhouse, or duplex, and the most common drugs involved were marijuana and methamphetamine.
- A review of 20 municipal bylaws across British Columbia found consistency in the minimum standards for declaring a residence as safe to occupy, but differences in how municipalities defined a controlled substance property, whether those tasked with remediation should be certified or licensed, and the level of detail with respect to remediation requirements.
- Interviews with experts and stakeholders revealed support for a provincial standard on policies and procedures related to the remediation of drug-involved homes, as well as certification and licensing of those who do remediation work and training for home inspectors.
To achieve the goal of consistent health and safety standards across the province, the report calls for regulation and oversight by the provincial government, the creation of a training and certification process for professionals involved in home remediation, and improved and easily accessible records to mitigate the potential effects of stigma and facilitate informed decision-making by buyers and lenders.
The report goes on to conclude that whatever provincial-wide policies and procedures are implemented need to consider the evolving nature of science and research, limits on technology related to testing of samples, legal liability, efficient timelines, and costs, and balance the rights of buyers and sellers.
“The processes of drug home remediation currently differ between municipalities. A single multi-step provincial approach would not only standardize and assure a high standard of repair, but this in turn would also help the would-be buyer of these houses to attain lending services and insurance,” said Trevor Hargreaves, BCREA Senior VP, Government Relations, Marketing & Communications.
Click here to read the full report.
