Lakeshore has launched a rebate program for rat control — here's how to get the money

Lakeshore has become the latest municipality in Windsor-Essex to offer a rebate to homeowners for rodent control.

The pilot program covers up to $200 for licensed pest control services.

"It's both preventative and reactive," said Alex Denonville, Lakeshore's leader of communications and engagement.

Bylaw officers will begin by helping homeowners identify food and water sources on their properties that might be attracting rats – sources such as bird baths and bird feeders that are spilling seed onto the ground.

Once a homeowner has cleaned up those attractants, they can hire an approved exterminator to take care of the rat problem and reach out to the municipality for a rebate covering up to 50 per cent of the cost, to a maximum of $200.

Visiting bylaw officers will also reach out to neighbouring property owners if they notice rat attractants on their properties, Denonville said.

Both Windsor and Tecumseh have rat abatement programs, but Denonville said it's not clear if the efforts to clear them out of those municipalities have driven the rodents eastward.

Resident concerned about impact on vegetable gardeners

The pilot will allow officials to better understand the problem, see if there are particular pockets of the community that are more affected than others and make decisions about expanded or targeted funding for possible future programs.

People who see rats on their properties can access the program by filling out an intake form on the pilot project website.

That will trigger the inspection by a bylaw officer, Denonville said.

The response time is typically five to 10 days.

One Lakeshore resident said she likely won't take advantage of the program because she and her partner have managed to get their rat problems under control with the help of their two dogs.

But Jacquelyn Jorgensen said she was concerned about a provision in the city's program that could require residents to get rid of vegetable gardens in order to qualify for the rebate.

"A lot of people … are growing corn, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, everything that they can — even going into pumpkins and whatnot," she said. "Everything to save money instead of going to the grocery store and paying $8.99 for watermelon, you know?

People who otherwise keep their yards free of rat attractants should not be punished for trying to save money on food, she added.

Jorgensen shared her concerns on the town's Facebook page.  

An official responded to her saying that keeping food sources on a property after it has been serviced by an exterminator can continue to attract rats.

Rat issues emerged after church demolition, resident says

Jorgensen, who divides her time between Belle River and her partner's home in Stoney Point, said they noticed issues with rats after the municipality demolished the Church of the Annunciation in 2023.

"We started noticing, like in our garage shop, that rats had chewed through some of the toolboxes where we kept our dog treats, and they had chewed right through the shelving," she said.

"We had to set traps in the house because they had chewed through part of the crawl space."

The traps and dogs have since largely taken care of the problem, she said.

Denonville, who had two pet rats in university named Winston and Frank, told CBC the program is not concerned with rats that are being kept as house pets.

"Pet rats are delightful," he said. "They're also very smart. That's also why they become a nuisance in the wild."