When Jordan Bonaparte visited the emergency department at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax with a family member on Saturday, he was taken aback by the sight of mice darting through the corridors.
However, a paramedic quickly clarified the situation for him.
“One of them remarked that there are just as many mice as there are patients, if not more,” Bonaparte recounted. “My experience in the Infirmary’s emergency room certainly confirmed that.”
After observing the mice for nearly six hours, he mentioned that his family member was eventually transferred to a room. Within minutes, a mouse emerged and began to climb onto the patient’s bed.
“I’m convinced that if I hadn’t gotten up and stomped my feet, that creature would have made its way right onto my bed to reach the food they were serving her,” he stated.
Jordan Bonaparte reported that this mouse was seen in a family member’s room in the emergency department at the Halifax Infirmary, and it was bold enough to try to get into the bed for food.
Nova Scotia Health has acknowledged that the rodent situation at the QEII complex is exceeding typical levels expected in a port city, where rodents are often encountered.
Documents obtained by CBC News show that the pest control expenses for the health authority at the QEII and Dartmouth General Hospital have dramatically increased in the past five years.
The budget for the QEII, which encompasses the Halifax Infirmary, Victoria General, and Rehabilitation sites, rose from $35,942 to $323,075, marking an increase of 798 percent.
Dartmouth General experienced the highest percentage increase in the province during the same period, escalating from $9,545 to $120,012 last year, an increase of 1,157 percent.
Chris Smith, the senior director for facilities operations at Nova Scotia Health, remarked, “The frequency of these sightings has surged dramatically over the last few years.”
“While we can attribute this to our status as a port city, it doesn’t alter our stance that they have no place in healthcare facilities; we must do everything possible to keep them out and maintain clean, sanitary, and safe environments.”
According to Nova Scotia Health, ongoing construction at the acute care tower at the QEII Health Sciences Centre has exacerbated the rodent problem.
Both facilities are surrounded by significant construction activities. Smith noted that he anticipated an uptick in pests when the QEII expansion project commenced.
“We expected a rise, but I don’t think we anticipated the extent of the increase we’re witnessing,” he added.
Over the past five years, the health authority has captured 1,435 mice or other rodents within the QEII buildings, which total 2.9 million square feet. Additionally, 321 rodents have been caught at the Dartmouth hospital.
“We are dealing with aging infrastructure, and the environment is quite complex. Each day, hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals enter and exit the buildings for medical appointments, materials, supplies, and equipment,” explained Smith.
The IWK Health Centre reported needing to undertake significant cleanup efforts due to a pigeon infestation.
Conversely, the IWK Health Centre stated that mice are not its primary concern, despite its proximity to the QEII.
Last year, the women and children’s hospital expended $180,000 after identifying “unusual bird activity,” which was predominantly linked to pigeons.
The IWK opted not to participate in an interview, providing a statement instead.
“This involved extensive cleaning of bird droppings and nesting sites, in addition to installing netting and spikes in certain areas to prevent future bird issues,” the statement indicated.
The IWK anticipates ongoing monitoring of the situation, meaning that some expenses will continue.
While the IWK’s cleanup is largely complete, Nova Scotia Health is still actively addressing its rodent infestation.
“This is a problem that has developed over several years. It will likely take many years to bring it fully under control,” Smith noted.
Smith mentioned that his department is employing a three-pronged strategy. They have engaged professional exterminators who visit daily, they are encouraging staff to report sightings to identify areas that need traps, and they have initiated external inspections of the buildings to find small openings.
“Some of these efforts have resulted in 100 or 200 work orders for all the small gaps and crevices that needed sealing,” he explained.
“We are actively addressing any remaining openings. This is not a quick fix.”
Smith is urging staff and patients to remain vigilant and report any sightings.
Days after Bonaparte’s hospital experience, he remains unsettled and believes the public should demand more from their healthcare facilities.
He shared a video of his experience on his podcast pages titled The Canadian Gothic, which garnered several responses from individuals stating that such conditions are commonplace.
“If your standards for healthcare are so low that you find it acceptable for mice to be roaming around the emergency room where critically ill people are, I think that sets an unreasonably low expectation,” he remarked.
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