Spike in rodent infestations, restaurant closures

Last Updated: Monday, June 18, 2007 | 1:09 PM PT

CBC News

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of Vancouver restaurant closures because of rodent infestations, which health officials say may be attributed to the city's construction boom.

According to the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, the number of food establishment closures has been increasing steadily since 2003.

Vancouver's construction boom is seen as the source of the rodent problem in some restaurants.
(CBC)

In the first six months this year, there has been a major spike in numbers. The health authority closed 32 restaurants, with rodent infestations among the reasons in 10 cases.

In the same period in 2006, there were 18 restaurant closures, four of them partly as a result of rodents.

Brigitte Bauman, manager of environmental health for the City of Vancouver, said officials have speculated about the reason for the increase —  but there is one leading theory.

"I think what is happening is with the increased construction, the rodent population is being forced out of existing older buildings, which may or may not be food establishments, and are moving for new harbourage."

In some cases, restaurants or coffee shops were just closed for a single day.

Bauman said that when a food service outlet is closed by the health department, it is obligated to post a notice spelling out the reasons. She noted that once it reopens, the notice comes down.

However, notices remain posted on the VCHA website.