Rats plaguing Overbrook, tenants say

Agroup that advocates for tenants' rights is calling on the City of Ottawa to take action against what it says is a growing rat problem in the Overbrook neighbourhood.

Acorn Ottawa organizers were in theneighbourhood Tuesday asking residents to sign a petition calling on the city to license landlords, and forOttawa Community Housing [OCH] to be included in a review of rental accommodations.

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"[The rats are] quite at home in this neighbourhood, especially in this Ottawa Community Housing area," said Gisle Bouvier, chair of the Vanier chapter of Acorn.

"They reproduce like crazy. They can have several litters during the summer and it doesn't take a year before that litter starts having litters. So, [Overbrook] could be overridden with rats if they don't get rid of them now."

Overbrook resident Sara Hamidisaid she's had an ongoing problem with rats inside her OCH home for the past four years. She said she seesthe rodentsalmost daily, and trapped fivelast week and 10 another week.

She said OCH came to set traps when she complained, but didn't return to checkthem. She said she eventually bought her own traps, but remains worried about the health of her four children.

Hamidi said her 13-year-old son ended up inhospital a couple weeks ago withdiarrhea that left him severely dehydrated.

Doctors told Hamidithe problem was bacterial, and she blames the rats.

"The kids need some places to be safe and healthy," she said.

Charmaine Thomas also said OCH came to set traps outside her home, but didn't return to check them. She, too, bought more traps and rat poison.

"[The rats] still keep coming back and they won't go away," said Thomas, who's worried about the health of her daughter and nieces.

"It's really sad. I can't even have them outside because the rats are always there. I don't know if they're vicious, but you don't want to take thatchance of having the rat bite a child and having to go to the hospital."

'I don't know if they're vicious but you don't want to take that chance'

5 years ago

Duration 0:42

Charmaine Thomas says she frequently spots rats near her Ottawa Community Housing row house. Now she won't let her daughter and nieces play outside.

Landlord licensing

Acorn is also pushing the city to license landlords, forcing them to pay for a permit and undergo property inspections.

"We have cases where there's not enough heating, there's broken windows, there's locks that don't work, andof courseall the different pest problems,"Bouviersaid.

Acorn wants the city to publish a list of landlords who passed or failed inspections.

In a statement to CBC News, OCHsaid it has invested $2.1 million in pest management in 2019, and OCH employees have gonedoor to door in Overbrook to speak to tenants about rats and offer prevention tips.

It also said tenantscan contact its 24-hour call centre to report problems.

The City of Ottawa has hired an outside firm to conduct a rental accommodations study looking at everything from rooming houses to Airbnb. A reportis expected to be presented to city council by the end of the year.