Another area municipality is taking steps to address concerns about rats in residential areas.
The Town of Lincoln is piloting a rebate program that will help residents cover the cost of removing rodents from outside their homes.
The town will cover 50 per cent, to a maximum of $200, of the cost of a licensed exterminator.
Beamsville Coun. Adam Russell says one cause of the rodent problem might be the loss of habitat due to development, but he believes a bigger factor is “some of the behaviour that is happening within some of the residential areas.”
To qualify for the rebate, residents must have the exterior of their home inspected and take action on conditions that may be attracting rodents.
Russell says that could include garden maintenance and storage of garbage, as well as grooming and care of outdoor composters.
Individually, he notes that they are little things that may not be seen as a big issue, but taken “collectively” can contribute to the problem.
Russell says the Town of Lincoln reached out to other municipalities because there were “so many people calling and asking for assistance” and developed its one-year pilot based on a similar program in nearby St. Catharines.