Toronto Community Housing Integrated Pest Management Program The - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Toronto Community Housing Integrated Pest Management Program

The Goal of this Integrated Pest Management Strategy is to reduce infestations and re-infestations that have such a serious impact on our residents lives, while keeping costs under control

KNOW YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

The landlord:

• Is responsible for pest management throughout the building
• Must make every effort to control pests and prevent spread

The tenant:

• Must keep their unit clean (as set out in the Residential Tenancies

Act and municipal health and safety requirements)

• Must allow the landlord to conduct inspections
• Must report infestations promptly
• Must prepare unit for treatment
• Must co-operate and all a landlord to complete treatments as

required

KNOW THE ENEMY

COCKROACHES

BED BUGS

Bed Bugs: How big is the issue?

What the experts say:

• 25 million Americans in 2011
• Most difficult to control
• Preparation is the key
• 20% annual growth
• Growth of 30% in GTA
• Will continue to grow
• No silver Bullet

Bed bugs: Elements of a treatment

• 1. Inspect/Assess
• 2. Identify
• 3. Protect Others (Block Inspections/Treatments)
• 4. Preparation
• 5. Treatment
• 6. Follow Up

PREPARATION IS THE KEY!!!

PREVENTION AND MONITORING WHAT TOOLS ARE AVAILABLE

BLOCK INSPECTIONS/TREATMENTS

UNIT LEFT UNIT RIGHT UNIT BELOW UNIT BELOW UNIT BELOW

SOURCE

UNIT ABOVE UNIT ABOVE UNIT ABOVE

TREATMENTS A peek at how it works

BARRIERS TO TREATMENT

• Lack of Preparation of Unit
• Clutter
• Hoarding
• Physical Challenges
• Mental Health Issues
• Access to Unit
• Lack of Compliance by Tenant
• Misinformed tenant/landlord

SUPPORTING VULNERABLE TENANTS

• 9000 Tenants living with serious mental

illness

• 26,000 Seniors
• Lack the capacity to prepare for treatments
• Limited Resources (financially and in

services) to support the necessary preparation work

• Impacts others due to delayed responses

while supporting a tenant

PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

IPM MODEL

• Data collection and analysis
• Education and co-operation of all

stakeholders

• Prevention
• Preparation for treatment
• Best Practices
• On-going process
• Responsible use of pesticides

PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

• A new RFP for pest control providers that includes increased

vendor accountability

• Centralized approach to managing Pest Vendors
• Clear defined roles, responsibilities, specifications, vendor

warranty and comprehensive quality assurance program

• Methods to better track infestations in our communities
• Creating a environment that will better support our vulnerable

tenants who have been challenged by infestation

PEST MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

• Engaging tenants who are already active in their communities

around this issue (eg: Tenant Pest Control Committee)

• Standardizing of unit preparation documents and introduction of

visual aids to overcome language barriers.

• Quality assurance follow-up
• Working with the city to share best practices and improve

collaboration between different divisions.

• Ongoing education of staff and tenants

PROJECTED OUTCOMES

• Stabilize/reduce infestation rates portfolio

wide.

• Ability to better track, monitor and report on

success

• Reduce the impact on vulnerable tenants
• Stabilize costs related to pest management

Contact Information

Deborah Simon 416-981- 4355

Chief Operating Officer deborah.simon@torontohousing.ca

Richard Grotsch 416-981-4054

Manager, Integrated Pest Management richard.grotsch@torontohousing.ca