Dear Premier Eby, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, and Members of the B.C. Legislative Assembly, 

We, the concerned residents of the Lower Mainland and BC, are urging the Province of British Columbia to take immediate and serious action to combat the rapidly growing rat infestation problem affecting our homes, businesses, and public spaces.

Rodents are now visibly present in residential neighborhoods, in broad daylight, and even inside restaurants and commercial buildings. Multiple well-known and busy restaurants in downtown Vancouver have been publicly flagged for rodent sightings — shocking residents and customers. Meanwhile, infestations continue to rise in Surrey, Burnaby, New Westminster, Richmond, Coquitlam, and Langley.

This is not just a nuisance — it’s a public health and infrastructure threat. Rats spread disease, destroy insulation and wiring, and contaminate food and water. Homes, schools, and businesses across the Lower Mainland are affected.

We believe the ban on Second-Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGAR2) — while intended to protect wildlife — has contributed significantly to the surge in urban rat populations. Without this tool in the hands of certified professionals, many homeowners and pest control experts have been left unable to contain the spread.

We call on the Province of British Columbia to immediately:

• Reinstate SGAR2 use by licensed professionals in urban and high-infestation zones.
• Provide provincial funding and coordination for municipal pest control and rodent suppression.
• Mandate pre-construction and demolition rodent control enforcement across all municipalities.
• Support residents and landlords with grants, rebates, or access to certified extermination services.
• Launch a regional rodent task force to coordinate across municipalities and health authorities.

This situation is not going to resolve itself — and without intervention, it will only get worse.

Without intervention from the provincial level, the Lower Mainland’s rat problem will become unmanageable — and the cost will be paid by ordinary families and businesses.

It’s time for the Government of British Columbia to act.

Signed,

Concerned Residents of the Lower Mainland