CENTRE WELLINGTON – Council has voted unanimously to take on a proactive termite management program after months of deliberation.
A report at Monday’s meeting laid out two options for Centre Wellington council to choose from regarding “the silent destroyer,” with several residents coming forward to share their opinions.
“Imagine raking all your leaves only to see more return because there is no concerted effort to clean out neighbouring public and private locations simultaneously,” said Ian McCray. “(Option one locks) homeowners into perpetual termite control costs. We might as well give termites the keys to our community.”
Option one would see the township continue with a “passive approach” to termites which focuses on public education with periodic termite surveys.
Option two is to bring in a pest control company to take on a proactive termite management program.
“The previous council was united in our opinion that individual homeowners needed help to face the termite challenge,” said McCray. “History has shown the termites continued to spread despite individual homeowners' efforts. Why? Because homeowners are unable and not responsible for eradicating termites beyond their properties and on public lands.”
Another concerned resident, Tammy Rutherford, shared McCray’s concerns.
“Over these eight years … the colonies have not only grown in numbers but they've most certainly also spread and this will continue to happen,” said Rutherford. “Now I want to assure you that the property owners in the termite zones have most certainly not just been sitting around doing nothing, waiting for the township to take action…they are doing what they can and yet they still need help.”
Rutherford also cautioned residents on the approach of "swarm season."
“To anyone that lives on the other side of town, well to you, I ask: Has anyone ever brought firewood...Moved Muskoka chairs, picnic tables, dog houses…shared plants, or brought wood mulch onto your property? These are all innocent ways that termites can easily be spread throughout our community,” said Rutherford. “There is no doubt in my mind that there are properties in our community that are termite infested, and their homeowners are not even aware.”
This won’t be the township’s first crack at a termite management program. This work was anticipated to start in the fall of 2022 but for undisclosed reasons, an agreement could not be reached between the township and pest control company, and no action was taken.
A survey of neighbourhoods in Fergus and Elora in 2021 —an action originally stemming from a council motion in early 2020 — also determined there were 259 properties with active termite activity, referred to as a ‘red zone’ property, and a further 219 ‘blue zone’ properties surrounding the red zone at risk of infestation.
A report was also tabled with the January 2023 council agenda with staff recommending a grant program to assist homeowners in funding termite treatment on private property.
“We have a lot of historical and cultural buildings in our community,” said Coun. Barb Lustgarten-Evoy. “I don't know enough about termites to say that by supporting homeowners, we would also be taking care of our county and township-owned properties…but I’d also like some more information.”
Several councillors, including Lustgarten-Evoy, were quick to share their support for the proposal, along with their questions about current procedures.
“I've lived here a long time … Are we being informed if you're in a (termite-infested) area?" said Lustgarten-Evoy. “Like I literally just looked at the map to see where my house lands."
However, according to CAO Dan Wilson, up until this report was done like the termite survey, there wasn’t enough accurate information about where termites did and did not exist to inform the public. Although social media is an option, there are limited staff resources to produce the material.
The next steps will include hiring a termite expert to evaluate and provide further insight.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
