Finance and Administrative Committee
	TO:	Mayor and Members of Council
	FROM:	Stuart Taylor, Director, Strategic Services
	PREPARED BY:	Victoria McGrath, Manager Environmental Leadership
	DATE OF MEETING:	2004-Apr-5
	SUBJECT:	West Nile Virus 2003 Update and 2004 Action Plan

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the staff report titled “West Nile Virus 2003 Update and 2004 Action Plan”, dated

April 5, 2004, be received;

AND THAT the Town of Markham continue to support the Region of York, Health Services Department in their activities with respect to control of the West Nile Virus in 2004, in promoting education and reducing, where appropriate, standing water on public property;

AND THAT the Town of Markham continue to work in partnership with the Region of York in 2004 to communicate and distribute information about the West Nile Virus;

AND THAT staff be authorized to continue working with the Region of York Health Services Department by participating in the meetings of the West Nile Virus Control Committee;

AND THAT the Town of Markham website include a link to the Region of York Health Services Department;

AND THAT the Town of Markham Internet and Intranet sites be updated, when appropriate, with current, factual information about the West Nile Virus and how the general public can protect themselves from exposure;

AND THAT staff erect bird and bat houses in appropriate locations in an effort to naturally reduce mosquito populations;

AND FURTHER THAT, Council approve funding in the amount of $95,000, to cover the cost of:

· One 150-day employee dedicated to surveillance activities, database production, communications and reduction of standing water on Town property, from April to September 2004, at a cost of $25,000 (including fringe benefits) and overhead.

· $50,000 be established: to contract a high-pressure flusher truck as an enhanced approach to reducing mosquito breeding in those areas without catchbasins; to erect bat boxes at appropriate Town-owned properties, and; to pilot fathead minnows and solar-powered windmill aerators in SWMPs within Markham.

· One 150-day By-Law Enforcement Officer dedicated to enforcement of the Standing Water By-Law, from April to September 2004, at a cost of $20,000 (including fringe benefits and overhead).

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to outline how staff provided support to York Region Health Services Department in their activities with respect to control of the West Nile Virus in 2003 and to present how the Town of Markham can continue to support the Region in 2004. In addition, the report outlines actions the Town of Markham should initiate to protect against the West Nile Virus as best we can.

BACKGROUND:

On May 13, 2003, Council approved a staff report outlining how Markham could support York Region’s Health Services Department in their activities with respect to control of the West Nile Virus. As a result, a Standing Water By-Law was enacted; staff were hired to oversee the West Nile Virus control program on private and public lands, including education and outreach initiatives and source reduction and surveillance activities; a link to York Region’s Health Services Department was established on Markham’s internet and intranet, and; regular updates were provided to keep the public and staff aware of new information related to West Nile Virus in the community.

Under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, responsibility for Health Services falls to the Regional Municipality of York. The Region of York, Health Services Department, Public Health Branch leads health-related initiatives, including the West Nile Virus and has assumed responsibility for the major activities relating to the control of the West Nile Virus.

West Nile Virus Overview

The West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause flu-like symptoms and, rarely, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain or membrane protecting the brain) in humans. The WNV is spread to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito. The virus is spread through endemic means, where an infected mosquito passes the WNV to its young and by a mosquito biting an infected bird and then biting its next victim. Wild birds are the main host for the virus. Dead crows can be an indicator that the virus has reached the area because they are the most susceptible. It has also been discovered that WNV is fatal among squirrels.

West Nile Virus and Human Illness

The chance of humans becoming seriously ill from WNV is very small. This is because most humans are able to overcome any infection from WNV by the normal response of their immune system.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only one in 150 infected, or, less than one per cent, will progress to the most severe symptoms. Most people with WNV infection will have no symptoms or only mild flu-like symptoms.

Provincial Leadership

On March 22, 2003, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care released a seven-point action plan to combat WNV, including a public education campaign. The Ministry’s approach included:

• Expanded laboratory services to keep testing in Ontario
• Enhanced surveillance
• Extensive public education campaign
• Mosquito control activities
• Establishing a new, early warning system
• Conducting a pilot study to determine human exposure to WNV
• Funding on-going research to discover the best way to fight the WNV

The Ministry also proposed ongoing research, community consultation and consultation with national and international stakeholders to enable the province to have the latest information on mosquito control techniques, surveillance methods and results, and successful education approaches.

In addition, the Ministry of the Environment ensured consistency in the pesticide programs implemented by regional health units by coordinating application licenses within the province.

Other provincial initiatives included a “Fight the Bite” prevention campaign, posters, media print ads and brochures distributed to Ontario residents.

York Region Targeted the Culex Species of Mosquito

Although there are several species of mosquito known to carry WNV, York Region Health Services Department primarily targeted the Culex species in its control program in 2003. Culex is the most common species of pest mosquito in urban and suburban settings. This species typically lays eggs:

• In tin cans, buckets, discarded tires and other artificial containers that hold stagnant water;
• In untended bird baths, clogged rain gutters and plastic wading pools that hold stagnant water;
• In storm drains and catch basins in urban areas, and;
• In septic seepage and other foul water sources above or below ground level.

It is important to understand the habitat of this species because it increases the public’s understanding that the spread of WNV is contained mostly within the urban environment.

The Culex species lives in the suburban and urban environment where there are ready sources of standing, stagnant water. Catch basins provide a perfect environment for the Culex mosquito species to breed. The species that live in natural areas, such as ravines, wetlands, woodlands and floodplains are plentiful but not typically of the Culex species and, therefore, need not be considered a threat.

The York Region Health Services Department recommends a multi-jurisdictional approach to dealing with the West Nile Virus:

Surveillance Activities

· Report dead birds found on municipal property to York Region Health Services

· Direct calls regarding dead birds to Health Connection

· Assist Health Services in identifying mosquito breeding sites (e.g. catch basins)

Source Reduction

• Maintain inventory of mosquito breeding sites
• Work toward eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites on municipal property (e.g. improve drainage in ditches, catch basin maintenance)
• Enact a Standing Water By-Law
• Initiate enforcement of municipal by-laws (e.g. Property Standard) and/or implement strategies to eliminate mosquito breeding sites on municipal property

Vector Control

• Reduce mosquito breeding grounds on Municipal property

Communication/Education

• Assist in the distribution of communications developed by the Health Services Department
• Educate Municipal workers on risks of WNV, source reduction strategies and personal protection
• Actively participate in the meetings of the WNV Control Committee, made up of the nine area municipalities in York Region

Update on York Region Activities

Staff at the York Region Health Services Department provided an update on the 2003 WNV Control Activities at Regional Council January 22, 2004, (See Appendix A). This report outlined the steps that had been taken to control WNV in York Region in 2003 which included using pesticides to kill mosquitoes at the larval stage. These pesticides included:

• Methoprene

Methoprene is used as a larvicide because it artificially stunts the insects’ development, making it impossible for larval insects to mature to the adult stages and, thereby, preventing them from multiplying. Methoprene lasts for thirty days in the environment it is deposited.

· Bacillus Thuringiensis Israelensis (BTI)

BTI is an invertebrate growth-inhibiting bacterium that is eaten by the mosquito larvae and causes them to die prior to achieving adulthood. Due to its dissipation rate of three or four days, the larvicide BTI was only applied to standing water if complaints were received and larvae was present.

In addition to larviciding, York Region held public information sessions related to the possible use of malathion as an adulticide. The Medical Officer of Health, under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, O. Reg. 199/03, may make a determination, based on local risk assessment about whether action, including the use of adulticides, is required to reduce the risk of WNV. The Medical Officer of Health indicated that the use of adulticides may be necessary if an outbreak of WNV occurred in humans. This did not occur and adulticiding was not undertaken in 2003.

2003 Review of WNV control in Markham

The following actions were implemented in 2003 to control WNV in Markham and support York Region Health Services Department:

1. Supporting the Region of York Health Services

The Town of Markham supported the Region of York Health Services Department control the WNV by participating in the following:

§ Assisted with surveillance activities, including: reporting dead birds found on municipal property; directing calls regarding dead birds to the York Region Health Services Department or the Health Connection line; Assisting York Region Health Services in identifying mosquito breeding sites where action has been taken to reduce or eliminate standing water (e.g. roadside ditches).

2. Increased Customer Service related to West Nile Virus control

The 150-day employee was responsible for the following coordination around public property:

§ Responding to customer requests for site investigation

§ Improving awareness and education of staff and residents

§ Maintaining a database of action requests

§ Continuous surveillance of potential “hot spots”

§ Liaising with the Region of York on the WNV Control Committee and

§ Coordinating street flushing or other control requirements, which may include contacting the Region of York or their contractor

Other efforts included:

· Monitoring Storm Water Management Ponds (SWMPs) for mosquito larvae on a bi-weekly basis, mapping SWMPs for the Region, issuing work orders if refuse was found or found to be holding water. A total of thirty-six SWMPs were monitored over the summer with evidence of mosquito larvae in twelve SWMPs at some point over the summer. Two SWMPs, at Lemsford Drive and on Carlton Road between Kennedy and McCowan, consistently showed evidence of mosquito larvae and could be excellent candidates for either a fathead minnow pilot or a solar powered windmill aerator pilot subject to coordination with Operations staff.

§ Maintaining a database where members of the community have called in with concerns and provide surveillance of these locations over the spring and summer in an attempt to reduce or eliminate standing water, where appropriate. Approximately 167 calls were received with concerns related to standing water on public property. Each complaint generated an inspection and action based on the inspection that ranged from repairing the area to adding the location to the flusher truck’s list. Forty-two of these calls related to rear yard catchbasins with twenty-five of the forty-two resulting in Operations staff placing screening over the catchbasin to reduce the potential for mosquito breeding. The screening was subsequently removed in the fall to eliminate the potential for blockage during the spring snow melt.

§ Working toward eliminating potential mosquito breeding sites on municipal property by improving drainage in ditches and filling depressions where standing water may develop and working with railway companies to eliminate standing water on their lands.

§ Investigating appropriate locations to erect bird and bat houses across the Town to reduce the mosquito population. The following locations may be appropriate and bat boxes could be installed in 2004 further to discussions with facility staff:

ID	Location	Area
1	Pamona Valley Tennis Club	Thornhill
2	Thornhill Village Library	Thornhill
3	German Mills Community Centre	Thornhill
4	Heintzman House	Thornhill
5	Royal Orchard Bridge over Bayview	Thornhill
6	Beaupre Park	Thornhill
7	Unionville Library	Unionville
8	Too good Pond Pavillion	Unionville
9	Crosby Arena	Unionville
10	Markham Rugby Club on Austin	Unionville
11	Parks Building @ Calvert & MaCrill	Unionville
12	Milne Park Pavillion	Markham
13	Markham Library	Markham
14	Rougebank Community Center	Markham
15	Springdale Park	Markham

3. Flusher Truck

The Region of York identified open, standing water as an excellent breeding site for Culex mosquitoes. In an effort to provide an enhanced approach to WNV control in Markham, a flusher truck, utilizing a high-pressure water flush on Markham streets with no catchbasins effectively disturbed standing water in ditches during periods when there was no significant rainfall, thereby reducing the threat of mosquito breeding. The flusher truck was used on a total of twelve days over the months of June, July, August and September. Some of the roads covered by the flusher truck included Miller Avenue, Babcombe Drive, Thomas Reid Road, Personna Boulevard, and Cachet Parkway. The total cost of using the flusher truck over the summer was $9975.36.

4. Public Education Information

Communications were developed that aimed to improve awareness and education of staff and residents including links on the Markham internet and intranet featuring regular updates, frequently asked questions and links to the Region and the Province. The two key objectives of the communication included: educating staff and residents on the importance of eliminating culex mosquito breeding grounds around standing water, including flushing water in pools, swales, birdbaths, old tires, flower pots and rain barrels every five to seven days, and; ensuring the public understand the relatively low risk posed by the virus and how to mitigate the risk.

5. Standing Water By-law Enacted

Markham enacted a Standing Water By-Law in May 2003 requiring that a yard shall be free of:

· Depressions capable of holding standing water for more than five days

· Debris of any kind capable of holding standing water

· Excavations on the property capable of holding standing water for more than five days

· A swimming pool, hot tub, wading pool or artificial pond unless it is maintained in good repair and working condition

In 2003, the By-Law Enforcement & Licensing Division was allocated funding to hire a 150-day contract position to enforce the Standing Water By-law on private lands within the Town. A Provincial Offences Officer was hired to fill the position and the individual responded to over one hundred calls from residents concerned about standing water and the associated health risk with the West Nile Virus. The Officer also fielded numerous general inquiries from the public providing information and advice.

The Officer responded to each of the property related calls by completing a site inspection, contacting the property owner/ tenant, and following up with the caller. Each case required the Officer would make several visits to the property, first to assess the situation and then make follow up calls until the matter was resolved. A number of calls were referred to By-Laws through Ward and Regional Councillors. In the latter part of 2003, calls were received through the Contact Centre and forwarded to By-laws though the CARe system for process tracking and action.

Results of the 2003 program were positive. The Officer found the majority of property owners unaware of the health risk and very cooperative once they were advised of the action necessary. Citizens were thankful for the service when the Officer called callers back to advise of the Town’s response and action. There were situations where compliance was not achieved. In these matters the Officer issued an “Order to Comply” setting specific remedies and timelines. At five locations, residents failed to comply with the Order to remove standing water from swimming pools. As a result, the Town hired a third party contractor to remove the standing water from the pools, invoicing the cost back onto the property owner.

For 2004, By-Laws anticipates an equal number of calls and anticipates having to deal with similar numbers of unused pools where staff will have to proactively enforce the By-Law. Providing this service requires a dedicated resource. The division requests funding for a 150-day contract position at a cost of $20,000.00 in order to provide a program this year.

WNV control program in Markham in 2004

In addition to continuing the work undertaken in 2003, the WNV control program in 2004 will include the following:

· Erecting twenty bat houses at appropriate locations on Town-owned facilities, to be coordinated by staff

· Installing solar-powered windmills in two SWMPs that were known to have mosquito larvae, as identified by York Region, in 2003, and monitoring their effectiveness. Solar-powered windmills are currently being used in the City of Vaughan to constantly recharge and disturb the water in those SWMPs.

· Introducing fathead minnows into two SWMPs that were known to have mosquito larvae, as identified by York Region, in 2003, and monitoring the effectiveness. Fathead minnows are natural mosquito predators and are being promoted by the Ministry of Natural Resources.

· Providing more directional flushing by the flusher truck to ensure more substantial and thorough agitation of standing water, particularly in driveway culverts

CONCLUSION

York Region Health Services continues to lead control of WNV in 2004

The Region of York, Health Services Department, Public Health Branch will maintain the lead role in the control of the WNV and will actively promote protection and source reduction through education and outreach. The Town of Markham can support the Region of York, Health Services Department in education, outreach and surveillance activities related to WNV within the community.

Promoting public education and outreach to the community on WNV control and what the public can do to protect themselves is the best first step towards supporting the Region. By providing current and continuously updated information on the Town’s website, the community page in the local paper and distributing the flyer provided by the Region, the Town can work with the community to provide a message that reduces fear and promotes a preventative approach.

This report includes a summary of the WNV control program in Markham in 2003 and recommends continuing that role in 2004. Town staff will work co-operatively with the Region of York, Health Services Department to provide support and information to ensure a coordinated approach to preventing WNV. However, the use of larvicide and adulticide will reside with the Region of York, Health Services Department, Public Health Branch.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The cost of the recommendations in this report are estimated to be;

· One 150-day employee dedicated to surveillance activities, database production, communications and reduction of standing water on Town property at a cost of $25,000 (including fringe benefits and overhead).

· $50,000 be established: for a high-pressure flusher truck as an enhanced approach to reducing mosquito breeding in those areas of Markham without catchbasins; to erect bat boxes at appropriate Town-owned properties; to pilot fathead minnows and solar-powered windmill aerators in SWMPs within Markham.

· One 150-day By-Law Enforcement Officer dedicated to enforcement of the Standing Water By-Law at a cost of $20,000 (including fringe benefits and overhead).

These funds have been incorporated into the 2004 Proposed Operating Budget.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The following departments may have responsibility for some portion of the WNV control in the Town of Markham:

• Corporate Communications
• Operations
• Enforcement and Licensing
• Strategic Services

ATTACHMENTS:

Appendix ‘A’ – Region of York Report, dated January 23, 2004, “2003 West Nile Virus Control Activities”

Stuart Taylor, Director Strategic Services Department

Jim Sales, Commissioner Community and Fire Services