Rat Control

From the Ward 3 Team, compiled from various city sources

Prevention of rats

rat_factsheet_en.pdf

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Have rats? 5 steps on how to deal with rats

Rodent_Control_Final_ENG.pdf

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Step One: Look for Evidence

Anyone can inspect for rats. Walk around your property and look for evidence of rat activity. Fill out an inspection form to document inspection findings. You can give this to your landlord or pest management professional for follow-up.

Rats come out at night, so walk around outside with a flashlight after dark. This will help you see where rats are going, so you can check for burrows when it gets light.

• Look for places where rats live. Most rats live in nests or burrows. Burrows are holes in dirt or concrete from 2.54 to 10.16 cm (one to four inches) wide, with smooth edges. Burrows can be found under bushes and plants. They will often have an entrance and exit hole.

• Look for droppings. Droppings are often found close to garbage. If they're moist and dark, it's a sign that rats are in the area.

• Look for holes and gnaw marks on wood and plastic garbage cans.

• Check walls and grass for signs of runways. Rats run along the same path many times a day, leaving dark greasy track marks along walls and worn down paths in grass.

Step Two: Clean Up

Cleaning up and getting rid of clutter is an easy and effective way to prevent rats.

Wash Away Droppings and Track Marks

Rats communicate and attract each other through their urine and droppings.

• Sweep up droppings, and clean up dark greasy track marks. Wash down the area with water and a mild bleach solution (one part bleach, 10 parts water).

• Talk to your neighbors and work together to clean up, so rats don’t move from one place to another.

Get Rid of Clutter

Clutter gives rats lots of places to hide, sleep, nest and reproduce.

• Remove (and recycle) piles of newspapers, paper bags, cardboard and bottles.

• Clear out your basement and yard.

• Store items away from walls and off the ground. 

  
  

Control Weeds and Shrubs

Rats are often found in burrows under bushes and plants.

• Keep tall grass, bushes, shrubs and mulch away from building foundations.

• Pull out ivy around burrows.

• Keep ground bare six inches from buildings, and trim under shrubs.

• Make space between plants, and avoid dense planting.

• Keep gardens free of weeds and trash.

Step Three: Starve Them

Rats only need one ounce of food each day. Don’t make your garbage their food. 

Manage Your Garbage

• Bring garbage cans and bags to the curb as close to pickup time as possible. Leaving them out overnight invites rats.

• Make sure you have enough garbage cans to hold trash between pickups.

• Use hard plastic or metal cans with tight fitting lids.

• Insist that tenants put garbage inside cans

Keep Food Away

• Keep all food in tightly sealed containers.

• Don’t put food out for stray cats, pigeons or squirrels.

Step Four: Shut Them Out

Rats chew holes into buildings, and can squeeze through cracks and holes as small as 1.25 cm (1/2 inch). To keep rats out for good, seal all holes and cracks in foundations, walls, floors, underneath doors and around windows. Most repairs can be done by maintenance staff, superintendents, handy persons or pest control professionals. Materials are inexpensive and available at most hardware stores.

Seal Cracks and Small Holes

• Seal cracks and small holes with caulk. Or use roofing cement – it’s durable and easily applied with a caulking gun.

• Close gaps under doors with rodent-resistant metal door sweeps.

• Close window gaps with metal flashing

• Put screens on vents, especially on lower floors.

 Fill Large Gaps and Holes

• Use mortar or ready-mix cement to fill gaps and holes in cement and stone foundations. Cover large holes with metal lath or screening, then seal with mortar or cement.

• Cover floor drains and vents with heavy-duty metal screening, secured with masonry nails or cement.

• Install sheet metal kick plates on the lower exterior of doors where rats have been gnawing or entering the building. Install metal thresholds underneath.

• Use door sweeps to keep gaps under doors smaller than a quarter inch.

• Consider installing heavy gauge sheet metal between foundations and the ground.

• Seal pipes leading into walls with escutcheon plates (“pipe collars”). Check pipes regularly for leaks.

Close Inactive Burrows

An inactive burrow will often have leaves, cobwebs or other debris around the entrance. These burrows should be closed so rats can’t get back in.

• Close burrows in soil by filling with soil and tamping down with a shovel, or by stepping on them.

• Close burrows in cracked or broken sidewalks with metal filler and cement.

Step Five: Wipe Them Out

Rodent Baiting

Rodent bait is a common way of controlling rats but applying these poisons is a job for professionals. If you use a pesticide to control your pest problem, read the label to make sure you are choosing the right product for the right pest. Follow all label directions and warnings carefully. Always look for a Pest Control Products (PCP) number on the label so you know the product has been approved by Health Canada https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/pest-control-tips/rats-mice.html

Make sure your pest control company follows these guidelines:

• Always read and follow the manufacturer’s label, and use the smallest effective amount of bait.

• Use disposable gloves when handling bait, and wash your hands afterwards.

• Use secured bait chunks (called bait “blocks”) inside tamper resistant bait stations. Secure or anchor bait stations to the ground or fence with cement, caulk or wire.

• Place bait stations on the same path as rats normally travel – often along building walls and fence lines. Since rats always travel on the same path, they’re more likely to eat from stations along it.

• Store and place bait stations where children and pets can’t get to them.

• Replace bait after it’s been eaten. Leave bait stations and bait in place for at least two weeks after all rat activity has stopped. Monitor on a monthly basis.

Choosing and Working with a Pest Control Company

How to Find the Right Company

Ask Around and Interview Companies

• Ask your neighbors and friends for referrals.

• Look in the phone book and online for “integrated pest management” services. These companies are more likely to inspect, monitor and make recommendations and repairs.

• Interview companies. Ask for references, including previous customers.

 A good company will…

• Inspect your property before giving you a price quote.

• Give you a written inspection report, and an action plan.

• Base quotes on inspection findings, not flat fees. The cheapest services are rarely the best.

• Make referrals for structural repair, if required.

• Visit often until the job is done.

• Put bait in tamper-resistant containers.

• Employ qualified, well-trained exterminators.

• Educate you on how to prevent rats.

• Work with you until rats are gone.

Work Together

• Walk around with the pest control professional during each visit, and keep track of work.

• Agree on a service plan and cost.

• Follow-up on referrals and recommendations.

City of Ottawa Rat Mitigation Working Group

Update (May 27, 2024)

We refers to the City of Ottawa's rat mitigation working group

Background

Effective rat management is a shared responsibility requiring the participation of the City, businesses, and residents alike. Everyone plays a crucial role in identifying the signs of rat presence, implementing preventative measures to protect property, and implementing effective mitigation and removal strategies.

Bringing together City departments has streamlined our approach and improved

communication regarding rat mitigation efforts across the city.

Update on City Actions

In June 2023, the City of Ottawa re-established the Rat Mitigation Working Group

(RMWG), including cross-departmental representation from Emergency and Protective

Services, Infrastructure and Water Services, Ottawa Public Health, Planning

Development and Building Services, Community and Social Services, Public Works,

Transit Services, Strategic Initiatives and Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services,

Finance and Corporate Services. Collectively this group has continued to develop and

maintain a comprehensive approach to addressing rodent concerns.

Last year, the City of Ottawa responded to 747 service requests related to rats through 3-1-1 and conducted subsequent property inspections. Staff collaborated closely with business owners, residents, and industry partners to identify factors attracting rats, provided education on rat management, and ensured compliance with City by-laws and property standards.

A key aspect of effective rat control in Ottawa is prioritizing educational efforts and

addressing the environmental factors that contribute to rat infestations. When a service request is sent to By-law and Regulatory Services, officers attend the area and proactively provide education to residents of the address. In addition, the officers proactively look in the surrounding areas to provide further education and engage nearby property owners to address and prevent rat infestations.

Beyond processing service requests and educational initiatives, the City has been

proactive to enhance our collective rat management response. We are committed to continuing these efforts in the coming year, including:

• The inspection of food premises: Food premises, such as restaurants, grocery

stores, and warehouses, are inspected as defined the by Ministry of Health.

Public Health Inspectors conduct inspections, both on a routine and complaint

basis, to ensure compliance with the applicable Ministry regulations. Infractions

noted during these inspections, such as rodent infestations, are addressed.

• Introduction of the Rental Housing Property Management By-law: One

component of this By-law, which came into force August 31st 2020, is the

requirement of landlords to have an integrated pest management plan. The Bylaw specifies that the landlord must develop a pest management plan that includes proactive inspections, preventive maintenance and education provided to tenants. Since the introduction of the By-law, Property Standards and Zoning Officers in By-law and Regulatory Services are ensuring compliance as service requests are received for any Property Standards or Property Maintenance calls.

• City Facility Maintenance: Facilities continue to work with qualified contractors

to conduct integrated pest management control within City facilities, while

following proper waste management regulations and guidelines regarding

securing waste.

• City Park Maintenance: Ottawa is a park-rich city with 12 major parks and over

1000 smaller parks or park-like sites. Public Works staff continue to monitor

parks for signs of rats and conduct pest management control activities when

needed. In the 2024 Budget, Council approved an expansion of the Waste

Diversion in Parks pilot that will see green and blue bins in one additional park

per ward. This expansion will help divert waste from the landfill and has the side

benefit of the bins being more resilient to pests.

• Enhancements to Waste Management through the Solid Waste Master Plan:

In 2024, the final Solid Waste Master Plan will be tabled for Council

consideration. That plan includes a wide range of waste diversion initiatives that

aim to keep materials like organic waste out of the garbage stream, potentially

reducing pests attracted to food waste in that waste stream. Implementation of

the three-item limit for garbage, which was approved by Council in 2023 and will

be implemented in September 2024, will also support more usage of the green bin. Residents are encouraged to make use of weekly organic waste collection to reduce food sources for rats.

• Construction best practices: The City of Ottawa encourages its contractors working on City projects to maintain construction sites and keep environments free from food and shelters that attract rats. A pilot project to conduct preconstruction baiting is also being undertaken this year to collect additional data and further understand the merits and challenges associated with baiting prior to construction. The City is not responsible for all construction and cannot deny construction permits based solely on rat baiting requirements due to limitations set by the Ontario Building Code Act and Planning Act.

• Sewer Baiting programs: Licensed contractors will undertake sewer baiting

when rat activity is detected in relation to the sewer system. This action is

restricted to City-owned sanitary sewers and must comply with Ministry of the

Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) regulations, ensuring bait

placement is selective to safeguard our ecosystem.

• Ottawa Community Housing: Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) is a key

partner in the city's rat management efforts, contributing significantly to the Rat

Mitigation Working Group's initiatives. With around 15,000 homes across diverse

Ottawa communities, OCH serves a wide array of residents from various cultural,

linguistic, and ethnic backgrounds. OCH's has employed proactive pest

management measures to ensure their properties and communities are safe and

free from rats.

• Community engagement and data enhancement: The RMWG actively

engages with the community, exploring best practices through discussions with

partners, municipalities, participating in relevant training, and performing a review

of rat management strategies across North American municipalities. This

approach aims to identify and implement effective actions and initiatives tailored

to Ottawa's unique context. The City is also exploring ways to collect more data

on high-activity zones for rats including new platform online reporting tool for rat

sightings.

Continuous Improvement

The re-establishment of the RMWG underscores our commitment in addressing ratrelated issues. This working group supports the sharing of best practices, enhances our understanding of rat management, collaborates when rat issues cross several departments and identifies opportunities for further action. As we move forward, we remain committed to refining our strategies, enhanced by data-driven insights and community engagement.

It Takes Everyone

Effective rat management necessitates a collective approach. We encourage residents and businesses to familiarize themselves with prevention and mitigation strategies available on the City's Rat Webpage and Ottawa Public Health Rat Control. Rat sightings anywhere in the City can be reported to 3-1-1. Together, we can make significant strides in controlling rat populations and safeguarding our community’s health and well-being.