Politicians push for city-funded pest extermination at low-income homes

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City politicians have given an initial OK to studying recommended steps from a local anti-poverty agency to tackle pest control and disrepair in London’s low-income rental units.

During Monday’s meeting of council’s community and protective services committee, politicians voted to endorse a series of pest control and property standards studies based on recommendations from Life Spin.

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Based on a motion from Coun. Sam Trosow, the city could look at making this year’s tenant support fair an annual fixture, bolstering its property standards enforcement based on other cities, and would study the feasibility of having a pilot city-funded extermination team.

“The reality for low-income tenants is that they face many barriers that prevent them from being able to reach their goals and desired quality of life,” said Andrea Smith, a King’s University College student who helped organize and run the tenant support fair.

“The continued abandonment of funding to people in vulnerable positions is a disservice to all.”

Life Spin also wanted funding restored to the hoarding and extreme clean program, cut during this year’s budget discussions. Costing $400,000 a year, part of the program helped tenants prepare their homes for exterminators.

The committee is made up of city councillors Elizabeth Peloza, Jerry Pribil, Trosow, Hadleigh McAlister and David Ferreira. Trosow, McAlister and Ferreira voted in favour of all the recommendations. All five voted unanimously to support an annual tenant fair, while Peloza and Pribil voted against the study of a publicly funded pest-fighting team or a review of bylaws in other cities. Pribil was also the lone vote opposed to referring the extreme clean program to budget talks.

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Politicians applauded the work of the tenant support fair, after more than 100 tenants attended to meet with more than a dozen organizations, including social services, legal and protection services.

“The engagement at the (fair) reaffirms what I know from my day-to-day work that there are persistent issues that we have, and that they are posing health risks,” Ferreira said.

But reaction was mixed to the notion of a publicly funded extermination team as opposed to the existing practice by both city hall and London Middlesex Community Housing, which contracts the service to private operators.

While some viewed it as a way to better tackle complaints and keep better records, deputy mayor Shawn Lewis said that the city does not have the resources to create, train and regulate such a unit.

“For me, this is absolutely a non-starter,” said Lewis, who sits on the board of London Middlesex Community Housing. “There is a reason that organizations contract this work out to professionals who are accredited and trained in this work.”

The recommendations will still need the final approval of council on Nov. 5. City staff also mentioned that they will bring back a report on building code changes around housing occupancy in December or January.

The 2025 budget update will be released Oct. 28, with a public consultation session on Nov. 19.

jmoulton@postmedia.com
@jackmoulton65

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