Moncton homeowners with rats infestations may get help from the city

Residents in a north Moncton neighbourhood are asking why the city is not taking more action to control an infestation of rats.

Sonia Hache, who lives off Evergreen Drive, says she has already paid more than $500 to try to get rid of the rats, which she says have become so brazen they’ve been peeking in her patio door.

“That fact that the city has not done anything yet is certainly bothersome,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "That fact that the city has not done anything yet is certainly bothersome," she said.

Hache believes the city should be paying a private exterminator to rid the community of rats once and for all.

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“I did call the city especially when I saw the rat looking into my window and they did send somebody out but apparently if it is on our property, is it our problem and the city won’t get involved,” she said.  “But they did come out to give me tips.”

But city councillor Bryan Butler says the city is taking steps to address the problem.

He says he met with pest control experts, city engineers, parks and recreation and bylaw officials last Friday to talk about how the city should address the rodent problem in the north end and a special committee has been formed to deal with the problem.

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“They are going to come in and they are going to put bait monitors around…where we have had the most issues and they are going to see where they are coming from,” he said.

Until now, the city has maintained rodent control is the responsibility of individual home owners and that city officials don’t have the right to go onto someone’s property to do rat control.

“I think we are kind of getting away from ‘that is his property’ or ‘our property’ I think we have to look at a way to work with the citizens,” said Butler.

While the City of Moncton spokesperson would not comment on how or if the city intends to help residents whose properties are infested with rats, Butler said the city is considering his suggestion of posting notices on people’s doors to ask for permission to go onto their properties.

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“To let them know that these experts are going to be in the area and are going to be in the backyard, determine where it is at and then we can come up with some sort of plan who will pay for it and who is going to do this and that,” he said.

Butler also told Global News that the city is in the preliminary stages of dealing with the issue and yet to commit to using city dollars to pay for extermination services.

But he says the city will be holding a public meeting in the north end sometime at the beginning of November so that frustrated residents can share their concerns.