Residents of Swift Current, Sask., are hoping new measures announced by city hall will help rid the community of its lingering rat problem.
On Sept. 2, city officials released details of a new rat control strategy aimed at eliminating the pests.
Rats began appearing in the city earlier in May.
Since then, sightings have become more common throughout the city.
A pest control company hired by the city has identified the city’s landfill as the likely source.
“City council and city administration share the people of Swift Current’s justifiable concern and frustration about the rat problem,” said city councillor Jerrod Schafer.
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“Although we have been working on this problem since May, our initial efforts were obviously not effective. We apologize for that and will make whatever changes are necessary.”
The city’s new pest control strategy includes:
- Hiring a team of nine certified pest control officers. The new officers will work with two existing pest control officers and eight other municipal employees.
- Opening the city’s landfill on Sundays and waiving landfill fees until the end of September to help with timely removal of garbage from residential and commercial properties.
- Joining with the Salvation Army to distribute rat traps to disadvantaged homes.
- Improving communication and co-ordination with local businesses and organizations.
- Cleaning poorly maintained properties at the owner’s expense if the owner refuses to clean the property.
- Publishing a weekly progress report.
Schafer also said the city is continuing an aggressive poisoning program at the landfill and will conduct controlled burns at the site.
Schafer said the city expects to spend as much as $300,000 to control the rat problem.
