HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-14-095 - Termite Control and Enforcement Report Staff Report
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REPORT TO: Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING: September 8, 2014
SUBMITTED BY: Mike Seiling, Director of Building/CBO, 519-741-2200 ext. 7669
PREPARED BY: Tim Benedict, Manager of Building, 519-741-2200 ext. 7645
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Wards
DATE OF REPORT: August 13, 2014
REPORT NO.: CSD-14-095
SUBJECT: Termite Control and Enforcement Report
RECOMMENDATION:
That no funding be provided to individual home owners for the treatment of
termites on private property; and,
That staff be directed to undertake a review of the existing by-law Chapter 689 of
the City of Kitchener Municipal Code; and further,
That staff be directed to implement a Public Education Program about termites
for the entire city starting in 2015.
BACKGROUND:
Previously submitted report CSD-14-080 "Insect/Pests Control and Enforcement" was
discussed at the August 11, 2014 Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
and further resolved at Special Council "That consideration of the following
recommendation be deferred to the September 8, 2014 Community and
Infrastructure Committee meeting:
"That Community Services Department report CSD-14-080 be referred to
the 2015 Budget process for consideration of long term funding, and,
That funding assistance is allocated as outlined in Chapter 689 (Termite-
Wood-Destroying Insects Control) of the City of Kitchener Municipal
Code, and,
The funding assistance should be limited to $2,000. for each of the 13
properties that have had observed termite infestation, for residents that
are willing to proceed with treatment of their property in 2014, and
further,"
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That "staff be directed to provide additional information on the following
matters;
a) potential funding options to provide assistance to homeowners to address
termite infestation;
b) investigate best practices undertaken by other municipalities to address
termites;
c) potential of having Dr. Timothy Myles, Termite Control Officer, City of
Guelph address the Committee on possible termite mitigation measures;
d) examine whether termites are covered under homeowner insurance
policies; and,
e) consult the Provincial Government as to possible financial assistance that
could be provided to address this issue."
REPORT:
The flowing report is separated into individual items that reflect the items requested by
council for staff to provide additional information on.
a) Potential Funding Options
1) Status Quo — Keep and retain the current by-law 689, and develop an
application/agreement process for grant and/or loans and ability to charge back
to taxes in the event of default on payment. A funding source would be required
and additional resource time to review and process will apply.
2) Minor By-Law Modifications - Change by-law 689 to remove grants but keep
portion on loans
3) Revise By-Law - Revise by-law 689 to remove financial assistance and include
provision for treatment to be completed by the municipality and costs applied to
the taxes (similar to other property standards processes)
4) Budget 2015 - Include a new Termite Public Education Program in the 2015
Budget process to advise all residents of termites with facts and preventative
actions that can be taken
5) Budget 2015 - Include a new Termite Program in the 2015 Budget process to
hire an outside company for the purposes of research, treatment and possible
eradication. Direction would be required on whether this would cover just the
current affected area or the entire City?
b) Best Practice of Other Cities
How do other municipalities handle termites?
1) City of Guelph
The City of Guelph in 2011 began a termite management program lead by Dr.
Tim Myles in an attempt to reduce the termite population in Guelph. This
program is in addition to requiring home owners to chemically treat their
property where required, inspection of all material leaving the property and a
required inspection prior to selling the property. No funding is provided to
individual home owners for treatment or structural repair of properties however
the experimental termite management program is funded entirely by the
Municipality, Guelph budget's approximately $150,000 a year for this program.
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2) Town of Kincardine
The town of Kincardine provides three options to comply with any building
permits within termite areas. Option 1 is chemical treatment of the property;
Option 2 is constructing any new buildings as per the Building Code prescriptive
requirements or Option 3 to purpose an alternative solution to the Building
Division. The City of Kincardine does not actively pursue owners to treat their
property unless work is purposed on the property or under their by-law require
treatment where the termite inspector deems necessary. The Town of
Kincardine maintains a policy GG.2.19 Municipal Loans to Ratepayers to loan
homeowners a minimum $5000 for a list of projects, termite treatment is
included however Kincardine has indicated they have never loaned any monies
for termite treatment.
3) City of Toronto
In 2006 the City of Toronto added a $50,000 line item to their budget for a
"Public Information and Education Program Regarding Termite Identification,
Treatment and Eradication" In 2013 it appears this funding and reserve were
closed out. Currently the City of Toronto's by-law Chapter 629-9 reads "All
properties shall at all times be kept free of rodents, vermin, insects and other
pests and from conditions which may encourage infestation by pests."
c) Council Info Session
City staff has made arrangements with Dr. Myles to be in attendance September 8t" for
a short PowerPoint presentation. Dr. Myles also offered the following information about
the Trap, Treat and Release (TTR) in Guelph;
- TTR is being run through an experimental permit issued by the Pest
Management Regulatory Authority (PMRA)
- TTR is limited to the City of Guelph and would not be allowed to be performed in
the City of Kitchener
- The TTR experimental permit runs until the end of 2016
Dr. Myles also offered the following suggestions to our situation in Kitchener;
- TTR could be replaced with entomopathogenic nematodes which doesn't require
a permit for the purchase and application
- Install monitoring traps along with the entomopathogenic nematodes treatment
- Explore a new biological method with Dr. Myles to seek approval through PMRA
for treatment in Kitchener as an experimental test
d) Insurance Coverage
Upon contacting Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) staff was informed that "they are
not aware of any insurance company in Canada that will offer such coverage..., loss or
damage caused by insects is a standard exclusion in all Canadian home insurance
policies, and always has been." The reasoning IBC provided that such losses are not
deemed to be insurable is because if proper construction and maintenance is employed,
such losses are preventable.
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e) Provincial Funding
Early reports indicate the termite control program was set-up in 1964 with the Ministry of
Economics and Development and the City of Toronto. In 1975 the termite control
program was administered by the Pesticides Control Section of the Ontario Ministry of
the Environment (MOE). This program covered six areas, namely a survey and
monitoring component, a research component, a technical training and support
component, a public education component, an incentive grant component and a
municipal component. The incentive grant component provided provincial grants to
home occupants for the control of termites on residential properties where the
municipality has entered into a termite control agreement with the Ministry of the
Environment. The grant would cover 60% of the combined cost of chemical soil
treatment and wood-soil separation to a maximum of CDN $2000. The province would
also pay 60% of the cost of soil pre-treatment for new construction, to CDN $1000.
These grants ended in 1992 when the Provincial Ministry of the Environment's Termite
Control Program ceased to provide funds to assist homeowners with the cost of
chemical treatments. As part of the agreement between the municipality and the
Ministry of the Environment the municipality was also required to pass an appropriate
by-law enabling it to enforce termite control.
A recent conversation with a representative of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and
Housing (MMAH) advised no such funding exists or is budgeted for termites.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
This report aligns with Community Priority: Quality of Life which states "Our shared
vision is for Kitchener to be a community that invests in maintaining basic services..."
Per strategic direction 8, this report supports the city working with partners to create a
culture of safety in our community.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
Prior to having Council direction for funding it is difficult to estimate financial
implications. Some rough estimates of costs could be as follows;
a) Short Term — For Briargate and Greenock at the proposed $2000 per household
13 Properties = $26,000 or 20 Properties = $407000
b) Long Term — Further research and costing would be required during the 2015
Budget process from $20,000 - $1507000
c) Public Education Program to get facts and tips out to residents $20,000
Should council decided to provide funding for the treatment of termites it should be
noted that this would open the City up for requests of funding for the treatment or repair
from other insects or pests.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM — This report has been posted to the City's website with the agenda in
advance of the council / committee meeting.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Michael May, Deputy CAO Community Services Department
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