Brent Patterson has lived in High Park Towers in Moose Jaw, Sask., for 10 years. He’s been living with cockroaches for the past two months.
“I’m to the point where I’d rather live on the street than continue living this way,” says Patterson, “I’ve got them all over my apartment. In my kitchen, in my bathroom, in my living room.”
He says they crawl into his food, and in his hair while he sleeps. He also says the situation has been costly as he’s had to buy cleaning supplies and grocery replacements, leaving him with no extra money at the end of the month.
Patterson estimates roughly 50 of his fellow tenants have been dealing with the infestation since last November.
At that time, some tenants took the problem to the legislative building to ask the government for help in addressing the infestation and other safety concerns in the building. However, tenants say they’ve only been given band-aid solutions making life in the complex very difficult.
“The morale around the building is quite low, you know, people are worried about this,” Patterson says.
Get daily National news
Hill Park Towers is government-owned and operated by the Moose Jaw Housing Authority.
Pest control specialists have repeatedly come to fumigate units one at a time when a complaint is filed but tenants say the bugs just move from one apartment to the next.
Residents who don’t currently have the pests in their units are paranoid.
“Who wants to live like that? I don’t and that’s coming for me, I guarantee it, and probably everyone else who doesn’t have them,” says Jeff Fingler, who’s lived at Hill Park Towers for the past two years.
The NDP is raising red flags saying the Sask. Party government needs to make this a priority.
“The folks who live in this building are frustrated. They are tired of finding cockroaches in their meals or crawling over them when they’re sleeping and they’re incredibly frustrated that despite going right to their elected officials in Regina, they can’t even get the attention of their elected officials here in Moose Jaw,” says Carla Beck, Saskatchewan’s opposition leader.
Tim McLeod is the MLA for Moose Jaw North and the provincial Minister of Seniors. Global News went to his office in Moose Jaw to get his comment on the situation but was told he’s out of town.
The Ministry of Social Services says in a statement:
“The Ministry of Social Services takes these issues seriously. The most recent inspection was on August 6, 2024 and treatment is scheduled for (Aug. 14). We will continue to work with pest control contractors to confirm if the treatment is successful and perform additional treatments of the area as necessary.
Housing authorities work with pest control contractors to ensure all reports of pests are promptly investigated and treated. Housing authorities also work on preventative measures such as sealing cracks, promptly addressing leaks, and cleaning and monitoring garbage areas. This also includes sharing educational materials with tenants on proper maintenance of units to prevent infestations.
Saskatchewan Housing Corporation remains in constant contact with Moose Jaw Housing Authority to deal with tenant issues or complaints as they are reported.”
The residents of Hill Park Towers say they need a long-term solution. They say the entire building needs to be treated to bring back a proper quality of life for tenants.
Comments