Alberta REALTORS® address the issue of Drug houses!

No Provincial Mould or Air Quality Standards in Place
There are no consistent remediation standards in place for mould or air quality in properties previously used as
marijuana grow-ops or other drug operations.
• Differing Standards: Currently, Alberta municipalities may allow a property to be re-inhabited when local
standards are met. However, the conditions under which a local authority grants re-habitation differ from
community to community. Universal standards for the province of Alberta are needed.
• No Consumer Protection: The potential exists for a property to become ‘sick’ after re-habitation. There are
currently no provisions in place provincially to protect the consumer should this situation arise.
• No Guidelines for Properties that Fail Local Review: There are no guidelines in place to handle properties
that cannot be remediated to the satisfaction of local authorities.
Alberta REALTOR® Position
The province, on its own or in conjunction with the federal authorities, needs to play a leadership role to establish
universal remediation standards for Alberta by:
• Amending building and health codes to create minimum acceptable remediation standards that will assure
Albertans that properties previously used as illegal drug operations are safe for habitation.
• Establishing provisions to protect the consumer in the event a property becomes ‘sick’ after re-habitation.
• Establishing guidelines for properties that fail remediation standards so that properties that cannot be
remediated to the satisfaction of the local authorities are dealt with appropriately.
Alberta REALTORS® Take Action
AREA commissioned local indoor air quality experts Tang G. Lee and Karen Rollins to develop provincial
standards for the assessment and rehabilitation of properties seized due to illicit drug operations.
After much consultation with stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, health authorities, safety code
officers, environmental consultants, REALTORS® and more, the final report is now ready.
Next Steps
The report, Recommendations for the Assessment and Remediation of Properties Used as Illegal Drug
Operations, will be presented by REALTORS® and AREA representatives to government and industry
stakeholders for endorsement.
AREA Contact
Bill Fowler, Director of Industry & Government Relations
Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA)
403.209.3606
bfowler@areahub.ca
This project is supported by a grant from the Alberta Real Estate Foundation (www.aref.ab.ca).
Suite 300, 4954 Richard Road SW, Calgary, AB T3E 6L1
Phone: 403.228.6845 Fax: 403.228.4360 Toll free: 1.800.661.0231
governmentrelations@areahub.ca www.AREAhub.ca
The Alberta Real Estate Association (AREA) represents the interests of more than 10,500 licensed REALTORS® and 11 local real estate
boards across the province of Alberta.
Illegal Drug Operations Place
Albertans and Their Properties At Risk
October 2009