Landlords are expressing concern about the federal government鈥檚 plan to legalize the growing of marijuana in homes, saying it presents a safety risk, may bother other tenants and could damage properties.

Hans Brouillette, from the Quebec Landlords Association, says that if recreational marijuana becomes legal, landlords should be allowed to prohibit tenants from growing and smoking it in rental units.

Brouillette says landlords鈥� concerns include overloaded electricity systems and potential damage from mold that can thrive in the humidity created by plants.

Avrom Charach, who runs the Manitoba Professional Property Association, said landlords in his province fear being saddled with big repair bills.

The odour is also a concern, according to Charach. 鈥淭hat smell can bother the other people in the building and it can permeate the drywall, the carpets and everything else,鈥� he said.

Albert Krespine, who runs the 710 Compassion Club in Montreal, said that he expects more people will grow marijuana once it is legal and that landlords can鈥檛 stop them.

鈥淪eventy per cent of our patients want to grow their own cannabis and want to learn how or want someone to grow it for them to drop their cost of medicine,鈥� he said.

Regardless of the rules, Krespine said he doesn鈥檛 think landlords can control what tenants do inside their apartments. 鈥淎ny time I had an apartment I smoked in my home because I was using it as medicine and I needed it,鈥� he said.

Under the new law proposed by the Liberals last week, any adult aged 18 or older would be allowed to grow up to four cannabis plants per residence. The plants would not be allowed to exceed a metre in height.

With reports from CTV Winnipeg and CTV Montreal