It looks like Centre Wellington residents will be more on their own in the war against termites.
While the township will bump up its educational campaign, it has repealed its termite control bylaw and will instead include termite measures as part of general pest control regulations under municipal property standards.
On Feb. 16, Centre Wellington’s managing director of planning and development Brett Salmon first recommended mailing updated termite information brochures to households in Fergus and Elora-Salem.
Termites were first found in Elora in the mid-1970s and can now be found in both Fergus and Elora.
Termites feed on dead wood of virtually every variety. Dead trees, tree stumps, wood retaining walls, landscaped ties and wood chip mulch provide conditions that are ideal for termite feeding and nesting and the movement of these materials from one property to another contributes to the spread of termites.
They can cause a substantial amount of damage to a building or structure, resulting in costly repairs.
Salmon said Centre Wellington is one of approximately 30 municipalities in Ontario where termites are known to exist or suspected to exist.
“However only a handful have any kind of active program … and some don’t acknowledge they have termites,” Salmon said, adding his report recommends a focus on education.
“We intend to boost our public awareness of termites and inform residents on how to prevent the spread of termites and prevent one’s own property from being infested.”
He said Centre Wellington’s current approach is more punitive.
“If we find termites, we’ll bring the hammer down and place your property on a map so everyone knows where termites have been found.”
Salmon said “we’d like to get away from that … and be more active in education.”
He said the township has created a new termite brochure with the intent of mailing them out with hydro bills.
He noted that for a time, the township provided termite inspections … “and it has turned into something similar to a home inspection.” He said there had been a number of termite inspection requests “sometimes in places where termites never had been found.”
Salmon said, “That is a service we believe we should discontinue. There is not a lot of value to the township considering the time it takes away from the building permits.”
Further, Salmon said the service did not operate on a cost recovery basis and he stressed there are local companies that can provide the same service.
“We don’t think the township should be competing with private business,” Salmon said. He recommended including pest control within the township’s property standards, rather than having a separate termite control bylaw.
Salmon said Guelph does have a termite control bylaw and a full-time termite control officer, but, “We don’t have the resources to dedicate to that,” he said.
“Preventing the spread of termites in Fergus and Elora is a responsibility that all homeowners should share, as opposed to the current regulatory approach that targets property owners only where termites have been already found.”
Councillor Kirk McElwain asked what happens now once a property is determined to be infested.
Salmon said through property standards, the approach will not be much different than through a termite control bylaw. Under property standards, the owners would still be required to take action to eliminate the pests.
Salmon agreed that if the township is to discontinue termite inspections, residents and local real estate agents would need to be given appropriate notice.
Council agreed to repeal the termite control bylaw and focus on education.
