Treasury Board minister says he’s unaware of pests in federal office buildings

OTTAWA - Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali has stated that he is unaware of pests infesting federal office buildings. The issue of pests, including mice, rats, bats, and bedbugs, has been reported in dozens of federal buildings since 2020. Ali, addressing reporters, said it was the first time he had heard about the problem and promised to have his team investigate it.

While federal office buildings are managed by Public Services and Procurement Canada, the pest issue has been raised by public servants and federal unions for years. The government is currently seeking to reduce red tape in the federal bureaucracy by amending 31 laws and regulations administered by 11 federal departments and agencies.