Hamilton police confirm grow-op in upper Stoney Creek shut down

A controversial grow-op in upper Stoney Creek has been shut down following a seizure last Wednesday, according to Hamilton police spokesperson.

Concerns about the operation on Green Mountain Road had been the subject of discussions at city hall for close to two years, following reports of several setups that did not have proper ventilation controls, including spots in Glanbrook, Ancaster and Flamborough.

In early 2019, Stoney Creek Coun. Brad Clark suggested people were using a “legal loophole” by combining their personal licences for growing medical cannabis and operating greenhouses as well as other converted buildings housing thousands of pot plants.

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“It’s one of those operations where it’s really not being regulated by Health Canada because the operators combined personal-use licences to enable them to, in essence, launch a large grow-op for allegedly personal use,” Clark said of the Green Mountain Road location back in June 2019.

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“The aroma that comes off of the budding plant — not the early growth plant but the budding plant — smells remarkably like a skunk.”

Councillors amended parts of the Municipal Act in April 2020 to address odour and lighting concerns connected to the large, unlicensed cannabis grow operations.

The amendments now specifically deal with complaints about large-scale personal grow ops. Offenders could face fines of up to $5,000 for an individual and $50,000 for a corporation if convicted in court.

Hamilton police are expected to release more details on the upper Stoney Creek seizure on Thursday.