June 13, 2018 - The City of Thunder Bay, in partnership with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit, launched its Rat Prevention & Control educational campaign, and unveiled a promotional video and brochure today.

In 2017, City Council approved the introduction of a formal promotion and education campaign to educate residents on effective control methods to prevent an increase in the rat population. 

The City of Thunder Bay and the Thunder Bay District Health Unit have a long-standing partnership when it comes to enforcement initiatives and both operate on a complaint-driven system. The City's Licensing & Enforcement Division enforces property standards and yard maintenance by-laws to deal with issues on private property. The Health Unit enforces complaints, if warranted, through the Health Protection and Promotion Act. Residents are required to address rat issues on their own property.

"Promotion and education are very important in providing residents with the tools needed to prevent an increase in the rat population," said Jason Sherband - Manager, Solid Waste & Recycling, City of Thunder Bay. "We want to encourage residents to take the necessary steps and take action in their neighbourhood."

"Until last year, it was very rare for the Health Unit to hear about rat problems in residential areas of Thunder Bay. For the last year-and-a-half, we have been tracking citizen reports of rat sightings and there is no doubt that the situation has changed," said Lee Sieswerda - Manager of Environmental Health Programs, Thunder Bay District Health Unit. "We have been providing information about rat control to residents to help them be effective in controlling rats on their property. The new video and information on the City of Thunder Bay's website captures all of that information and presents it in a way that is easy for people to access and understand."

The promotional video and brochure provides information and outlines steps residents can take to prevent and control the rat population.

For more information, visit: thunderbay.ca/ratprevention 

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Contact:    Amanda Rozenuk, Communications Officer - Infrastructure & Operations, 474-4810