Overwhelming majority of Ottawans want to know if the home they're planning on purchasing was a former Marijuana Grow-Op or Clandestine Drug Lab, new Ipsos Reid poll reports

OTTAWA, Nov. 27, 2012 /CNW/ - Ninety six per cent of Ottawa residents agree they want to know if the home they're planning on purchasing was formerly used as a Marijuana Grow-Op (MGO) or Clandestine Drug Lab, according to a study by Ipsos Reid.

The Ipsos Reid poll found that almost one in four (24 per cent) of Ottawans report seeing or knowing of homes in their neighbourhood that have been used as MGOs or drug labs.

"The prevalence of these homes in Ottawa is quite frankly, alarming," says Pat Verge, an Ottawa area REALTOR® and member of the Ontario Real Estate Association's (OREA) Board of Directors, "Homes used as grow ops and/or clandestine labs pose significant health and safety risks to individuals, families, and communities all over the province."

Locally, the City of Ottawa approved a recent bylaw regarding the prohibition, inspection and remediation of former Marijuana Grow-Ops. The bylaw mandates the registration of work orders on the title of a property used as a former grow op. The bylaw would allow home buyers to find out if the property was a former MGO by doing a title search before they complete the purchase.

"Full credit to the City of Ottawa for having the foresight to address this issue," said Verge. "But we need provincial leadership on this problem. It isn't just in Ottawa where people are unknowingly purchasing former grow ops and clandestine laboratories - its right across Ontario."

Verge says there is an overwhelming demand from consumers to be able to access this information: "There's no question that Ontarians want to know - it's in the numbers. Eighty eight per cent of Ontarians support the creation of a province-wide registry of former MGOs and clandestine labs. As consumers they have the right to know anything and everything about the home that they are planning on purchasing - especially when not knowing could put themselves and their family at serious risk."

Exposure to mould and toxins associated with MGOs and Clandestine Drug Labs can cause serious health problems, including allergic (immunological) reactions, toxic effects and infection. Toronto Public Health states that MGOs are distinct from typical types of premises contaminated with mould in that they have been used for criminal activities that may have resulted in the creation, not only of environmental hazards, but electrical and structural hazards. Additionally, the potential presence of known hazardous, toxic and flammable substances associated with clandestine labs, presents an immediate and continuing risk to anyone exposed to these substances.ⁱ

About the Ipsos Reid poll: These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between October 1 to 8, 2012 on behalf of the Ontario Real Estate Association. For the survey, a sample of 1,508 Ontarians from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll has a credibility interval of +/- 2.9 percentage points. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error. For more information on credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website at http://ipsos-na.com/dl/pdf/research/public-affairs/IpsosPA_CredibilityIntervals.pdf

About the Ontario Real Estate Association: The Ontario Real Estate Association represents 53,000 brokers and salespeople who are members of the 41 real estate boards throughout the province. OREA serves its REALTOR® members through a wide variety of professional publications, educational programs, advocacy, and other services. www.OREA.com

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i} Dr. David McKeown, Medical Officer of Health. Health Risks and Legislative Authority of the Medical Officer of Health Regarding Marijuana Grow Houses and Clandestine Drug Laboratories in Toronto - REVISED. Toronto Staff Report 2006; 3-4.

SOURCE: Ontario Real Estate Association

To book an interview with Pat Verge, or for more information, please contact:

Michelle Connolly
Media Relations Specialist
Ontario Real Estate Association
[phone] ext. 615
[email protected]