Council looks at bringing bedbug extermination in-house, but deputy mayor cautions against it

Some steps intended to improve London's response to persistent bedbug infections were approved by a city committee Monday, but not every councillor believes the changes are needed.

A local anti-poverty group has been calling on the city to deal with the problem of persistent bedbug and cockroach infestations and set up its own pest control division. LifeSpin staff said the problem has become worse since city council voted to end funding for the Hoarding and Extreme Clean program in the last budget cycle. 

The program was funded by the province until 2022 when the city temporarily took it over then earlier this year decided not to extend funding.

Monday, council's community and protective services committee approved four motions, including: 

• A call for the city to work to make last spring's tenant support fair an annual event. 
• A call for staff to look at property standards bylaws and report back with ideas to enhance enforcement protocols for bug spraying. 
• Look into the possibility of the city creating its own bug extermination program as a pilot project to deal with persistent infestations.
• A request that the city revisit a decision made in the last budget cycle to end funding for a program that helps vulnerable tenants prepare their suites for spraying.  

The motions were put forward by Coun. Sam Trosow and seconded by Coun. David Ferreira. 

Trosow said bringing extermination in-house would help provide "systematic oversight" so that bug spray appointments are done in a coordinated way, particularly in buildings managed by London Middlesex Community Housing (LMCH).     

"It does no good to hire a pest control firm to come in and prepare the area if the tenants need help in order to do that," said Trosow. 

WATCH: LifeSpin concerned too many low-income Londoners are living with persistent bedbug and cockroach infestations

Bedbugs and cockroaches are a growing problem in London, says LifeSpin staff

1 month ago

Duration 2:02

LifeSpin's Megan Ciufo and Jacqueline Thompson make their case for the city to have its own extermination team in low-income and municipal housing on London Morning.

Coun. Hadleigh McAllister said without a co-ordinated approach, the spraying programs amount to a "Band-Aid solution," one that often falls short of solving the problem. 

However Deputy Mayor Shawn Lewis said he was opposed to the city getting into the extermination business. 

"We do not have in-house expertise," he said. "There is a reason organizations contract this work out to professionals who are accredited and trained in this work and do it everyday." 

Lewis, who serves on the LMCH board, also said the housing authority hired a new pest control contractor in the spring. He also said there is support for LMCH tenants ahead of bug spray appointments but said some tenants aren't always helpful. 

"When a tenant refuses entry to us to complete a pest spray, that is a compliance issue," he said. "So if we want to pursue this route, I will tell you that my initial reaction is that LMCH is going to have to starting looking more seriously at more N5 eviction notices for failing to comply. For me, this is absolutely a non-starter." 

Lewis also pointed out that the Hoarding and Extreme Clean program that council defunded in the last budget cycle was really a provincial program the city was funding for a short time. 

"It was not a cut," said Lewis. "The province ended the program." 

The motions approved at CAPS will come for a vote at the next full council meeting.

LISTEN: Should the City of London get into the pest control business?

London Morning7:00Should the City of London get into the pest control business?

Pest infestations are a persistent problem in London, particularly in buildings with seniors, low-income residents, and people with physical and mental health challenges. Meagan Ciufo and Jackie Thompson of LifeSpin explain why the city should launch its own pest control program.