R.M. continues to proactively fund pest program

Despite a decrease in the number of rat sightings, the R.M. of Meadow Lake continues to fund an eradication program.

Ward 4 councillor for the R.M., Garry Ratke, said it’s important to continue the funding because where there’s one rat there could potentially be more.

“We don’t want them to get started again. Rats can travel hundreds of miles on trailers and when it stops they got off and all of a sudden they’re in Meadow Lake,” he said. “We want to get on top of the problem before it becomes too big and all of a sudden you have to restart the program.”

Rat eradication began in the Meadow Lake area more than 40 years ago. According to Ratke, in the late 60s and early 70s there was an abundance of rats in the area. After the program began, there has only been the odd rat sighting.

According to the R.M., it spent $9,700 on the eradication program. The provincial government gives the R.M. a grant for rat eradication which pays for exterminators when needed.

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Meanwhile, the City of Meadow Lake doesn’t fund a rat eradication program. To the knowledge of city manager Diana Burton, there hasn’t been rat issues within the city.

“One of the reasons we enforce our nuisance abatement bylaw provisions is to avoid there being the habitat for such pests,” she said.

Colton Swiderski is meadowlakeNOW’s municipal affairs, crime and court, health and education reporter. He can be reached at cswiderski@jpbg.ca or tweet him @coltonswiderski. Concerns regarding this story can be addressed to News Director Geoff Smith at 306-446-6397.