Councillor Alejandra Bravo calls on City Council to take action against rats across Toronto

TORONTO — Councillor Alejandra Bravo (Ward 9 - Davenport), Chair of the City’s Economic and Community Development Committee, is urging City Councillors to approve the City’s first Rat Response Plan at this week’s Council meeting. The Rat Response Plan, which responds to a 2024 motion from Councillor Bravo and Deputy Mayor Morley, was developed by the City Manager’s Office and approved unanimously at the Economic and Community Development Committee meeting earlier this month.

The Rat Response Plan includes several new actions, including a Rat Response Coordination Team and Rat Response Enforcement Table to lead work within the public service, rat management plans for both private and City-led construction projects, targeted inspection blitzes in areas with higher reported prevalence of rats, and initiating a review of the City’s Property Standards By-law to improve the City’s ability to manage pests.

“A growing rat storm is affecting every part of our city where there’s new development, transit and other construction projects. Toronto’s Rat Response Plan finally puts us at the same level as New York City, Chicago, Washington DC, and Ottawa – all cities that have taken direct, coordinated action on responding to rats,” said Councillor Bravo. “We know that with construction and climate change, rats are coming up from underground areas and breeding for longer periods. That means more rats on our streets and indoors. This is an issue that touches many neighbourhoods in our city. Managing rats effectively is a critical part of keeping Toronto clean and safe, and I look forward to support from all my colleagues on this plan. Let’s keep rats out of neighbourhood businesses and homes.”

The full Rat Response Plan report is available here: https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ec/bgrd/backgroundfile-256825.pdf

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Alejandra Bravo was elected as the City Councillor for Ward 9, Davenport in 2022. A Ward 9 resident for over two decades, she first became active in her children’s school in 2000, becoming the Chair of the Davenport TDSB Ward Council. Alejandra has a 25-year history of leadership with civil society organizations, including extensive governance experience with boards ranging from Art Starts, a community arts organization operating in under-serviced neighbourhoods, to serving on the Toronto Board of Health. Alejandra currently serves as Chair of the Economic and Community Development Committee.

Media Contact: Spencer Julien, [email protected]