Halifax-area hospitals see pest control budgets soar amid mice, pigeon infestations

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CBC News has learned that several Halifax-area hospitals have been dealing with soaring costs to deal with mice and pigeon infestations. Nova Scotia Health says it could take years to rid its facilities of the mice issue.

When Jordan Bonaparte went with a family member to the QEII Health Sciences Centre's emergency department in Halifax on Saturday, he was initially shocked to see mice scurrying around the halls.

"One of them said there are as many mice as there are patients here, if not more," Bonaparte said. "My time in the Infirmary's emergency room definitely made that clear."

After watching mice for nearly six hours in the hall, he said his family member was moved to a room. Within minutes, he said, a mouse came out and started climbing on the bed with the patient.

"I'm pretty sure if I didn't get up and stomp my feet, that thing was going right up on my bed to get up where the food was that they were serving her," he said.

Nova Scotia Health is acknowledging that the issue at the QEII complex is beyond what is expected in a port city, where rodents are a common sight.

Documents obtained by CBC News reveal that the health authority's pest control bills at the QEII and Dartmouth General Hospital have soared in the last five years.

The QEII, which includes the Halifax Infirmary, Victoria General and Rehabilitation sites, saw its budget jump from $35,942 to $323,075. That's an increase of 798 per cent.

Dartmouth General saw the biggest percentage increase in the province in the same timeframe, going from $9,545 to $120,012 last year, an increase of 1,157 per cent.

"The volume of those sightings has increased exponentially over the last couple of years," said Chris Smith, the senior director for facilities operations at Nova Scotia Health.

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