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CMB MAGAZINE cmba-achc.ca winter 2018 | 21 potproperty stakeholders have advocated for consistent standards for several years. However, this issue becomes more imminent in the current context of the federal government's plan to legalize and regulate the production of cannabis. e federal bill would allow adults to legally grow up to four plants per residence for their own personal use, and leaves enforcement up to each jurisdiction. Cannabis products, such as food and drinks, could also be made at home, provided that harmful organic solvents are not used. In its current form, the bill does not include information on possible property impacts of cannabis cultivation in homes, nor does it include regulations for household care or property remediation. A further gap in the bill relates to jurisdiction. e bill designates that the federal government would be responsible for setting industry-wide standards for growing cannabis, while provincial and territorial governments would be able to create additional regulations. e role of local governments in enforcing regulations, or having the ability to add their own bylaws, is not clear. It is also unknown how governments will share costs for implementing these new policies. While this bill is not yet law – it still needs to pass through the necessary readings and reviews in the House and the Senate – it is expected to pass sometime in the next year. e government intends for the legalization process to be complete by July 2018. Whether legal or illegal, using homes to produce drugs can have negative impacts on health, safety and peace of mind. BCREA is committed to advocating for consistent processes for disclosure and remediation of drug operations. Learn more about BCREA's work at bcrea.bc.ca/ government-relations/drug-operations. In the meantime, BCREA has established an industry stakeholder advisory group to study this issue further, focusing particularly on insurance and financing issues. is group has representation from sectors such as mortgage brokerage (CMBA-BC), insurance, real estate, home builders, the legal community and local government. By bringing together like-minded organizations, the group will explore and define the insurance and financing issues related to homes used for drug production, and will identify key actions to promote the creation of government remediation standards. It is important for homebuyers and renters to know whether a property they are interested in was ever identified as having a history of drug production, and whether or not the production was legal. It is also important for sellers to be able to openly seek and undertake remediation. Along with our colleagues across numerous industries, BCREA will continue to champion consistent, enforceable regulations to ensure the physical and financial well-being of homebuyers and sellers. Bio: e British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) is the professional association for about 22,000 REALTORS® in B.C., focusing on provincial issues that impact real estate. Working with the province's 11 real estate boards, BCREA provides continuing professional education, advocacy, economic research and standard forms to help REALTORS® provide value for their clients. To demonstrate the profession's commitment to improving quality of life in B.C. communities, BCREA supports policies that encourage economic vitality, provide housing opportunities, respect the environment and build communities with good schools and safe neighbourhoods. It is important for homebuyers and renters to know whether a property they are interested in was ever identified as having a history of drug production, and whether or not the production was legal. It is also important for sellers to be able to openly seek and undertake remediation.

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