A primary school in Outaouais is facing a serious cockroach infestation affecting food items and classrooms, raising concerns among staff about cleanliness and pest control measures. Despite multiple treatments, conditions have worsened, with staff reporting anxiety over the situation. The absence of a dedicated janitor has worsened hygiene issues, prompting staff to bring their own traps. Union representatives are calling for urgent action, while the school board struggles with budget cuts and inadequate cleaning resources.
Cockroach Infestation in Outaouais Primary School
A primary school in Outaouais is grappling with a severe cockroach infestation that has alarmingly infiltrated areas such as children’s coffee makers and cereal boxes. This alarming situation has prompted staff to question the effectiveness of the school’s pest control measures. Kim Lafleur Lauriault, president of the Outaouais school support union, expressed her outrage, stating, “I have never seen a school this dirty.” For nearly three years, Saint-Rédempteur school in Gatineau has been battling a persistent cockroach issue. Despite a thorough cleaning and treatment conducted last September, conditions have deteriorated significantly since the holidays, with reports of rodents emerging as well, according to Mrs. Lafleur.
Concerns Over Cleaning and Maintenance
On February 4, Mrs. Lafleur visited the school and documented numerous live and dead cockroaches across various rooms. “There are cockroaches eating the Cheerios from the children’s breakfasts,” she highlighted, pointing out how the presence of these pests disrupts students’ learning experiences. Many staff members have developed symptoms of anxiety, fearing they may inadvertently take cockroaches home. An anonymous educator shared, “We hardly sleep anymore. We find them on our desks, in our planners, and even in coffee makers and dishwashers.” The situation has escalated to the point where a teacher discovered cockroaches in children’s lockers, prompting staff to shift students’ belongings into classrooms.
The Centre de services scolaire des Portages-de-l’Outaouais (CSSPO) has communicated that treatments involving “Temprid SC insecticide spraying” were conducted in August, September, December, and February. They attribute the ongoing infestation to the “complexity of eradication” and an “external influx” of cockroaches. However, skepticism remains among staff regarding the claim that these pests are primarily coming from students’ homes, especially given the dire state of cleanliness within the school. Questions have arisen about the effectiveness of the cleaning and extermination efforts, particularly after the last treatment on February 7 yielded only live cockroaches.
The lack of a dedicated janitor at Saint-Rédempteur school has further exacerbated the unsanitary conditions. Union representatives have noted that the absence of assigned janitors leads to inconsistent cleaning efforts, often conducted by subcontractors. “It’s serious what’s happening in this school. It’s urgent; something needs to happen,” emphasized Éric Pronovost, president of the Federation of school support staff. The neglect is compounded by budget cuts affecting maintenance across many schools in Quebec. Mrs. Lafleur pointed out that the external cleaning company only comes in for limited hours, which has become increasingly common as school boards opt for subcontracting to save costs.
Staff members have resorted to bringing their own insect traps due to the inadequate number provided by the school. The CSSPO claims that “additional cleaning hours are added as needed,” with weekly inspections conducted alongside the exterminator. A comprehensive cleaning is scheduled for spring break, according to Maude Hébert from the Communications Service. However, educators remain frustrated and question what actions can be taken in the interim, especially given past failures in treatment efficacy. Mrs. Lafleur has suggested relocating the school until the infestation is fully resolved, but the CSSPO has stated that this is not a viable option due to a lack of available facilities. As of now, the extermination company has not responded to inquiries regarding the situation.