The city said on Wednesday that inspectors from the Ville-Marie district installed traps in Émilie Gamelin Park after being informed of the presence of rats.
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It’s a decision that can be made if rats are noticed outside of sewers, Montreal city spokeswoman Kim Nantais said in an email.
If the situation persists, “an extermination will be carried out to eliminate the population on the surface,” she specified.
PHOTO AGENCY QMI, MAXIME DELAND
The counties are responsible for managing the rat population on their territory and have various upstream techniques in place, such as “clean-up operations, intervention by an exterminator, and inspection of sewers where appropriate.”
Rats were seen in the park on the corner of Berri and Sainte-Catherine streets Monday night, according to video taken around 5:30 p.m.
PHOTO AGENCY QMI, MAXIME DELAND
Exterminators have been concerned about the spread of these rodents in downtown Montreal for several months, and are questioning the ban on a pesticide since January 1, 2022.
“The city decided on January 11 to amend its ordinance on the sale and use of pesticides by authorizing the use of diphacinone-based pesticides to control this type of problem,” Ms Nantais recalled.
PHOTO AGENCY QMI, MAXIME DELAND