If you're afraid of rats, you may want to steer clear of Yonge and Eglinton.
The bustling midtown intersection appears to be experiencing a major rat infestation, as documented by one Reddit user in a video that's impossible to un-see (you've been warned).
Of course, the odd rat sighting may be normal for a massive, high-density city like Toronto. But the situation at Yonge and Eglinton is truly next level. In the video, 12-15 rats are seen scurrying in and out of a planter on the new sidewalk, just steps away from a strip of restaurants, including a Burger's Priest, Playa Cabana, and Esquina.
Fellow Reddit users were quick to weigh in, blaming the situation on everything from the "old ladies who feed the pigeons," to the relentless construction on the Crosstown LRT.
The pandemic resulted in more rats in city streets and both residential neighbourhoods -- something that's been documented everywhere from the mainstream news to social media channels and Reddit posts.
During Canada's COVID-19 pandemic, Abell Pest Control saw a 50% increase in rat-related calls compared to 2019, with most inquiries coming from urban centers like Toronto, Halifax, Winnipeg, Montreal, Winnipeg, Regina, and Vancouver.
"Rats can enter homes and buildings under door gaps, cracks in foundations or gaps around pipes. A determined rat can squeeze its way into an opening of only 1" -- that's about the size of a quarter," said Dusana Bondy, Quality Assurance Auditor at Abell Pest Control in a 2020-issued press release.
But clearly -- likely due, in part, to Toronto's over saturation of construction -- the rats are sticking around long after we've ditched the mask mandates.
Whether the City can get the rodent infestation under control remains to be seen. If they can't, sky-high rent and home prices won't be the only thing Toronto has in common with New York City (***shudders***).
