Residents of a Sudbury, Ont., apartment building have submitted a petition to management expressing concerns about what they describe as a cockroach infestation. They want the entire Pine Street building included in a spray program instead of unit-by-unit treatments. Miranda Thornton lives in the building with her son. She said she is preparing her apartment for another treatment to get rid of cockroaches. It’s a problem she has been dealing with since moving in, Thornton said. She showed CTV News photos of cockroaches she caught in sticky traps she set. She also shared a picture of her teen son, who was sleeping in a mosquito net tent. “There has been an ongoing cockroach infestation for over five years,” Thornton said. “It’s got significantly worse in the last two months. They sprayed on July 6 — just my unit. The problem is they are not spraying the entire building.” The problem is “stressful” to live with, she added, and it’s something that’s always on your mind. “It’s hard to sleep — you are afraid the cockroaches are crawling on you,” Thornton said. “My son is sleeping in a tent … actually now he is at my mom’s. He had to get completely out of here.” She has complained to Greater Sudbury and Public Health Sudbury & Districts, hoping to find a solution. In a statement, Public Health said, in part: “Like many public health agencies across Ontario, ongoing provincial underfunding has required Public Health Sudbury & Districts to focus resources on services where they can have the greatest impact. As a result, in communities with local government, Public Health no longer directly responds to complaints about rodent or insect infestations. These concerns are typically addressed through local bylaws ...” And Greater Sudbury told CTV News that city bylaws require residential properties to be “maintained free of vermin and rodents.” “If a resident is experiencing an insect or rodent infestation, bylaw services will investigate the complaint and may issue an order requiring the property owner to remedy the situation,” the city said in a statement. “If a property owner fails to comply with an order, the city can take enforcement action in accordance with the property standards bylaw.” In response to a message from CTV News, building landlord Whitehall Apartments sent a response from its legal representative. “Presently, the landlord has a legal matter pending with Ms. Thornton, therefore, it is not appropriate for the landlord to comment.” Thornton said that legal matter is a Human Rights Tribunal application she filed over an unrelated issue. She also filed a petition with management of Whitehall Apartments to treat the entire two buildings on Pine Street, which was signed by some tenants and guests of the apartments. “Some wouldn’t sign the petition because they are afraid of retaliation or eviction, so it’s not really reflective of the amount of units affected because so many wouldn’t sign it,” Thornton said. For the time being, she said she is going to stay with her father in Parry Sound.
