Residents on a street in Toronto's Leaside neighborhood say they are battling a rat infestation caused by a neighbor who refuses to stop feeding the wildlife in her backyard.
Jennifer King, who lives next door to a homeowner accused of feeding rats, said the problem became so bad earlier this year that she had to hire an exterminator – at a cost of $3,000 – because rats had invaded the walls and attic of her home.
“It's disgusting,” she said. “You could hear them in the walls.”
Graph. Rachel Chernos Lin, who represents homeowners on Randolph Road, said a woman on the street was charged with illegally feeding wildlife several months ago. She also faces a property investigation for the accumulation of trash in her yard.
Until recently, it was legal to feed animals on private property. But in 2023, the city's animal law was amended to prohibit the feeding of wild animals on personal plots, with the exception of songbirds.
Since then, city officials say they have received thousands of complaints from homeowners about their neighbors violating the ordinance—3,787 in 2023 and 3,897 in 2024.
City officials told CBC Toronto in an email that there are good reasons why feeding wild animals in private backyards is a bad idea.
“When food is accidentally or intentionally left out for wildlife, it often attracts unintentional animals such as rodents, which can lead to public health and safety issues,” the email said. “Once rats or other pests appear, they can be difficult to control.”
King says she knows the problem all too well.
She said she has lived on Randolph Road for 25 years but had never had a rodent problem until earlier this year.
“Hundreds in the Backyard”
In January, she started noticing rat tracks and rat trails in the snow. In the spring, she said, rats, some as big as opossums, roamed freely in her backyard even in daylight. They chewed on posts on her deck and dug holes under her backyard fences.
“In the bedroom at night, I could hear them scratching the ceiling,” King said.
In March, she asked a neighbor to stop throwing food because it was attracting rats to the area. But the feeding continued, she said.
CBC Toronto has reached out to the woman accused of feeding wild animals. She denied doing this.
King said after hiring an exterminator, the rats were eradicated from the house, but not from outside. “(There are) hundreds of people in the backyard,” she said.
Her friend Janet Bolton, who also lives in the neighborhood, said she was sitting in King's kitchen one day a few months ago, drinking coffee and looking out the window when she “saw 30 rats in about 15 minutes.”
The problem appears to be limited to one or two blocks of Randolph south of Eglinton Avenue and west of Laird Drive, she said.
Still, Bolton is concerned about the health implications for her friend. “She’s lost weight, I’m worried about her emotionally.”
King is not alone.
A dozen Randolph Road residents signed a letter written several months ago by another neighbor asking the woman to stop feeding wildlife.
“When wild animals begin to associate home with food, it can lead to increased aggression, property damage and even health risks,” the letter states. “I want to ask you to reconsider this practice… I hope we can all enjoy wildlife at a safe and respectful distance.”
According to King, the letter had no effect.
Chernos Lin said if the city finds the woman is violating property standards, she could be ordered to remove trash from the yard. Violating an ordinance prohibiting feeding wildlife can result in a fine of up to $100,000, according to the city's website.
The city is investigating a complaint of violation of property standards. The charter charge will go to trial in November, she said.
Continue to report to 311, advisor says
King says it's possible rats in a nearby vacant lot on Laird Avenue were disturbed when construction began on the site in late 2024 and were attracted to her street by food left in her neighbor's backyard.
Whatever the reason for the sudden increase in the rat population, King says she's fed up with it.
At one point, she said she was “seriously thinking about moving.”
Toronto's rat population is growing faster than rodents in New York, Chicago or Amsterdam, according to a new study. CBC's Tyreike Reid shows how climate change may be a contributing factor.
During cold weather, roaming rats seem to stay in their burrows outdoors, but King worries about what will happen next spring when temperatures start to rise.
Meanwhile, Chernos Lin said it was important for neighbors to communicate with each other to prevent small disputes from developing into big problems.
“If you have problems in your community, please continue to report incidents,” she said. “Make sure you report it to 311, make sure the city knows so the city can take action because that’s why we’re here.”
She encourages homeowners to contact their city council member if they can't find common ground. In some cases, the city uses a mediator to resolve local disputes, she said.
