Calgary City Seeking Locations of Medicinal Grow Ops

Fears that licensed medical marijuana grow operations could be major safety hazards are pushing a city alderman to demand that Health Canada disclose the locations of the homes.

The issue came to a head two weeks ago after the city shut down a licensed operation due to numerous safety violations. And in October, an explosion rocked another licensed operation as two men cooked byproduct on a stove.

City officials who want to do bylaw and safety code inspections complain they have no idea where the marijuana grows are located because Health Canada isn't divulging the information.

Now, Ald. Diane Colley-Urquhart wants the mayor to ask for a meeting with federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq to discuss the safety worries and to request that Health Canada be more forthcoming.

She also wants Health Canada to subject all licensed grow operations to local municipal bylaws and will be asking council to back the lobbying effort at a meeting on Monday.

While marijuana can be used to treat the symptoms of illnesses like multiple sclerosis, Colley-Urquhart said the issue here is whether it should be grown in Calgary neighbourhoods.

There are 631 people in Alberta licensed to possess medical marijuana, as of early January.

Wayne Brown, the head of the city's co-ordinated safety response team, said his unit contacted Health Canada about the issue two weeks ago, but has heard nothing back.

"We would certainly like Health Canada to come forward with all of the addresses that certainly reside in the city of Calgary so we can do an inspection on them," he said.

- Article originally from Calgary Herald.