THUNDER BAY — The tenant of a Thunder Bay apartment building is frustrated with how long it's taken to exterminate bed bugs from his residence.
"I've had numerous treatments since August 2022, and I'm pretty sure all the units on my floor [have had it], and many other floors," he wrote in an email to TBnewswatch, adding that a pest-control company has been in the multi-storey building almost daily.
"My unit has been treated no less than 10 times since August 2022, and [I'm] still going through it 18 months later."
He recalled that he was in bed reading a book when he first saw four of the pests running across his pillow.
The man believes the bugs were already present when he moved in a year earlier, as the insects can survive up to a year without feeding.
Telltale signs of an infestation include rusty or reddish stains on sheets or mattresses, black spots about the size of a period (.), and tiny, pale yellow eggs or eggshells.
But finding and getting rid of bed bugs can be a challenging exercise, said Doug Rondeau, owner/operator of Canadian Pest Control in Thunder Bay.
"They are really smart, they're really good at hiding, and they're really good at hiking."
The insects are about the size of an apple seed, oval-shaped, and reddish-brown in colour, and typically come out at night from their hiding places in beds, furniture, or even books.
Bed bugs are not known to transmit diseases, but when bitten by the blood-sucking insect, some people develop an allergic reaction such as itchy or painful welts that may last for days, causing a loss of sleep or psychological distress.
Because they are so adept at staying out of sight, it can be difficult to eradicate an entire colony and all its eggs.
Rondeau noted their ability to hitchhike into a home also means a resident may be powerless from preventing an infestation where there have been none before.
"As an example, if I have a social worker that comes to my house in the morning to make me breakfast, does my dishes, puts her jacket on my chair or couch. I've got bed bugs, but she doesn't know it. They crawl into the seam of her jacket, then she goes to your house. You didn't have bed bugs, but you do now because it will bail and hide in a chair or someplace before finding its way to your bedroom or couch."
Experts say bed bugs are not a symptom of poor personal hygiene or a dirty home, as they equally prefer clean or dirty environments.
Once in a residence, they may continue to spread unnoticed for a considerable length of time, even hiding behind places such as floor moulding.
Rondeau, who said he gets up to a dozen calls about bed bugs daily, recalled a case in which the tenant had mental health issues, and never complained about bed bugs even though they were probably in his home for years.
"It was a basement unit in an apartment building. He didn't say anything, until a social worker found them in the home. It was to the point they actually had to take the floor off, right down to the concrete. They were everywhere, even in the kitchen cupboard."
Public health inspectors can order landlords to bring in a licensed exterminator
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit says the risk of encountering bed bugs is higher in buildings where many different people are staying, including apartments, rooming houses, and hotels.
After entering one unit, they can spread quickly to others.
TBDHU reports that bed bug infestations are "a very common issue" throughout the city, and that public health inspectors consistently respond to complaints of problems in housing.
Landlords are required under Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act to ensure their properties are fit for habitation and in compliance with health standards.
Responding to questions from TBnewswatch, the health unit said infestations typically require pesticides and/or other treatments that can only be administered by a licensed pest control company at the expense of the landlord.
It said tenants have a responsibility for immediately notifying landlords of bed bugs in their unit, and for cooperating with efforts to control the infestation.
If a landlord refuses to help when notified of a bed bug issue, tenants may file a complaint with the Environmental Health Department at TBDHU by calling (807) 625-5930 and asking to speak to an inspector.
Under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, public health inspectors are authorized to order landlords to take any reasonably necessary steps to control an infestation, including ordering them to hire and retain a licensed pest control company.
The health unit considers bed bugs to be a health hazard not only because they can trigger allergic skin reactions and secondary infections, but also because they can lead to anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation.
The District of Thunder Bay Social Services Administration Board operates nearly 2,500 community housing units, making it the largest landlord in the city.
Ken Ranta, director of integrated social services, said the board takes both a proactive and a reactive approach to dealing with bed bugs.
All properties are inspected annually, and if an issue is found a treatment plan is developed for the unit and for neighbouring units, using the services of a licensed professional.
Ranta said tenants are provided with a checklist they are expected to follow as their part of the treatment program, including things such as laundering all clothing and keeping it separate from the area of treatment for a specified period.
"The treatment is only as good as the prep work, and the participation of the individual," he said, but added that tenants who are physically incapable of following the checklist are assisted by board staff or a contractor.
Orkin Canada, a pest and wildlife control services organization, cautions that bed bugs can also hide in taxis, buses, trains and airplanes, so travellers should check their clothes regularly for unwanted passengers.
In a hotel room, the company suggests surveying the room for bed bug symptoms by lifting and inspecting hiding spots such as mattresses and cushions.
It also recommends putting clothing in the dryer for up to 45 minutes at a high setting after returning from a trip, as this is an effective method of killing the insects.
