---
title: "Vancouver Liberals promise a rat task force if elected"
description: "Mayoral candidate Kareem Allam announced on October 7 that the Vancouver Liberals would create a dedicated task force to study and address the city's rat problem."
canonical_url: "https://voche.me/news/vancouver-liberals-rat-task-force-october-7"
last_updated: "2026-10-10T04:01:11.709Z"
---

The Vancouver Liberals said on October 7 that mayoral candidate [Kareem Allam](/candidates/kareem-allam) would create a blue-ribbon task force to address Vancouver's rat problem if elected, Daily Hive Vancouver reported. Allam called the situation "unacceptable" and said no other mayoral candidate had yet prioritized the issue.

## What the task force would do

Daily Hive Vancouver reported that Allam's stated goal for the task force is to understand the scale of the infestation, study how rat populations are measured, and find out what approaches have worked elsewhere. The task force would consult city officials and rat research organizations. The party has not published detailed implementation plans beyond this framing.

## Health risks the party cited

The party's announcement, as reported by Daily Hive Vancouver, listed diseases rats can spread: leptospirosis, hantavirus, salmonella, and rat bite fever. The party also said rats roam sewers and risk carrying contamination to streets or food supplies, and that they scatter garbage while foraging.

Addressing the rat problem would benefit disease control and reduce pressure on healthcare facilities, according to the party's announcement.

## Factors the party says make the problem worse

Daily Hive Vancouver reported that the party pointed to two contributing factors. First, current restrictions on rodenticides limit the control options available. Second, ongoing construction disrupts rat habitats and pushes rodents into neighbouring areas.

The party's announcement cited pest control firm Orkin ranking Vancouver as the most rat-affected city in British Columbia. The party also said Vancouver is approaching the infestation levels currently seen in Toronto, which Orkin identifies as Canada's most rat-affected city. These figures come from the party's own announcement and reflect Orkin's own rankings; this site has not verified them independently.

## What this means for voters

Allam's announcement added a public health plank to a platform that already covers property taxes, housing, transit, and parks. Voters who want to compare it with other platform commitments can read his profile at [/candidates/kareem-allam](/candidates/kareem-allam). The election is October 17, and advance voting is open now. Voting locations and deadlines are at [/where-to-vote](/where-to-vote).

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