

Vidya Kauri, CP24.com





Transit improvements in downtown Toronto have led to an unexpected pesky problem: rats.

The multi-million dollar revitalization of Union Station has meant that several underground structures had to be demolished forcing out “a large rat colony” that is now migrating to other parts of the city, according to Abell Pest Control which services several locations across Canada.

As the vermin scurry toward new homes and warmth, they will push existing rat populations farther out, Steven Graff, Abell’s quality assurance manager, said.

“We’re urging businesses and homeowners to be proactive,” Graff said in a news release Monday morning. “Plug all entry points, from damaged door sweeps to holes from cables or vents, and ensure garbage and composting containers are not left outdoors any longer than necessary.”

However, Graff’s warning to the public may be unwarranted. Jackie DeSouza, a spokesperson for the city of Toronto, said this is nothing new and that any big city could have rats anywhere.

“There are rats all over the city,” DeSouza said. “It shouldn’t be a surprise to people. Any type of construction will displace rats.”

DeSouza added that there is a pest control company contracted by the city working at Union Station. The contract is ongoing and not specific to the construction.

The city does not track complains about rats and Toronto Public Health only deals with rodent control within restaurants.

Besides giving people the creepy-crawlies, rats are also known to carry diseases such as leptospirosis, which causes flu-like symptoms. In the past, the furry creatures, which mark their territory by urinating, were reviled for spreading the Black Death plague in Europe in the 14th Century. However, recent studies have questioned the extent to which rats were responsible for the outbreak.

@VidyaKauri is on Twitter. Follow @CP24 for instant breaking news.