Developers looking to obtain demolition permits in Coquitlam will have to ensure the buildings facing the wrecking ball are free of rats and vermin before tearing them down.
The new rules go into effect Sept. 1 and require builders to provide a report to staff certifying that a building has been inspected prior to coming down.
Jim Bontempo, the city’s manager of building permits, said staff research found that a large number of pest complaints came from homes adjacent to recently demolished buildings.
“Our environmental section in engineering began looking into it a little deeper,” he said. “There was a loose correlation.”
Under the new rules, developers will have to hire a pest control professional at an estimated cost of between $350 and $500, depending on the size and scope of the job. Once confirmation is provided that the building is clear or rodents, the demolition permit is issued by the city.
A map included in a city staff report, which council in July voted unanimously to adopt, shows rodent calls concentrated in southwest Coquitlam, where 90% of the city’s demolitions have occurred. In six specific instances, staff found that rodent calls occurred next door or very near properties where buildings were recently taken down.
The rules are not unique in Metro Vancouver. North Vancouver has similar rules for larger-scale developments and if a city staff person in Surrey sees evidence of rats on a property they will require an inspection.
Many councillors heard about the issue while knocking on doors during last fall’s election campaign. Bontempo said that is what prompted staff to look into the matter.
In 2014, there were 71 rodent calls in Coquitlam, making up 76.3% of all pest-control reports. Three tickets were issued and seven warning letters were sent to residents who were careless with animal attractants.
But while the new rules will help mitigate some of the rodent issues in the city, it will not eradicate pests. The number one attractant for rats and vermin, Bontempo said, is unsecured food sources and homeowners need to do their part to limit the problem.
“This program is not going to eradicate the rat problem,” he said. “It really is about educating everyone out there, including the public.”
