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Bed bugs in Hamilton, Ontario: lessons for landlords and local governments »

The Hamilton Spectator reports on the spread of bed bugs in that Ontario city.
The story focuses on Lisa Courtney’s bed bug battle:
Courtney tossed out her bed, mattress and linens. CityHousing, Hamilton’s social housing agency, had her Cumberland Avenue apartment treated and life returned to normal.
But now, the bedbugs are back. Courtney’s anxiety has shot up […]

Winnipeg HoJo gets sued over bed bugs »

A Toronto man is suing a Winnipeg Howard Johnson’s motel, claiming he was bitten by bed bugs there.

CJOB in Manitoba reports,
A Toronto man has filed a civil suit against the Howard Johnson Hotel on Ellice Avenue alleging he caught a case of the bed bugs while rooming at the establishment.
Steven Lipson claims after a one-night […]

Bed bugs at McGill University, Montreal, Quebec »

Bed bugs have infested rooms in McGill student housing buildings the New Residence, the MORE house at 522 Pins, and now in Solin Hall, the McGill Daily reports.
Student Aaryn Secker finally moved out after battling bed bugs in Solin Hall for months:
Secker notified Howard Zinman, Services Coordinator for Solin Hall, after discovering tiny red bites […]

Educating the public about bed bugs: Toronto to host bed bug forum for residents April 2nd »

InsideToronto.com reports that there will be a bed bug forum to educate residents about bed bugs and how to deal with an infestation, on Wednesday.
Concern about the recent city-wide rise in bed bug infestations has led to the creation of a bed bug forum, coming to Etobicoke this Wednesday, April 2 at LAMP CHC.”You have a […]

Surrey, B.C. public housing infested with bed bugs »

Canada’s CTV reports that a BC Housing complex is infested with bed bugs. The article mentions Kuehn Tower, but the BC Housing site lists Ted Kuhn Tower I and II in Surrey, so this appears to be a typo. (Incidentally, I wonder if they found a new manager yet?)
Bill McLeod’s body is covered […]

After a fire, bed bugs “rain down from ceilings” into other apartments »

If the Thai train infested with bed bugs does not have you thoroughly skeeved, Joe Fiorito has a new article today in the Toronto Star on 55 Bleecker, a Toronto Community Housing (public housing) building in Toronto, where tenants have meetings about bed bugs at 2 a.m. because they’re all up anyway.
2 a.m.!
That’s just the […]

Toronto’s Bug and Scrub: shelter guests being trained as pest control techs »

The article from Joe Fiorito yesterday (and my post on that article) mentioned an initiative being tried out at Seaton House, a City of Toronto-run shelter for men that has been operating since 1959. Men who live in the shelter are being given paid training as “pesticide technicians.” They’re being paid a […]

Toronto Board of Health gearing up to fight bed bugs »

A bit of background:
Toronto has had a serious bed bug problem for some time, just like New York, London, San Francisco, Vancouver–I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
The Toronto Star also has a journalist called Joe Fiorito who wrote extensively and repeatedly about how serious a problem bed bugs were, […]

Itchy the Bed Bug: an Olympic Mascot for Vancouver »

Vancouver | Homes Not Games
Originally uploaded by ardenstreet
Graffiti from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Remember VANDU? They’re the grassroots community group in Vancouver that got a grant and implemented a plan to help fight bed bugs in Vancouver’s beleaguered Downtown Eastside.
Well, they’re back at it, this time as one of the sponsors of this weekend’s […]

Still more on New York’s response to bed bugs »

The press release for the New York HPD bed bug seminars is here. It includes dates and times, addresses, and a phone number for more information. Seminars will be in English and Spanish. Please do call the number listed below to reserve a spot.
The first seminar is scheduled to take place on […]

Reg Ayre of Toronto Public Health: bed bugs a “health concern,” not a “health hazard” »

In some cities, the housing department inspects for bed bugs. In others, it’s public health. Toronto Public Health apparently has jurisdiction over inspections for bed bugs in the city.
Joe Fiorito of Toronto’s The Star spoke with Reg Ayre of Toronto Public Health about why that body can’t legally class bed bugs as […]

Maclean’s on bed bugs »

Canadian news weekly Maclean’s has a story on bed bugs dated January 3, 2008 by John Intini.
The article conveys the scope of the problem and the speed at which it seems to be spreading:
To get a full sense of the bedbug boom, ask any pest control expert. [Carlo] Panacci, for one, used to have a […]