Bedbugs disrupt mail delivery at Dartmouth manor

Bedbugs at Alderney Manor in Dartmouth created a new problem for residents when Canada Post refused to deliver mail to the building earlier this week.

John Caines, a spokesman for Canada Post, said the Crown corporation heard about the bedbug problem at the manor and workers ceased mail delivery on Friday.

"Last Friday our carriers had a concern because there was an infestation of bedbugs at that address. They brought it to our supervisory staff, who decided that we would not deliver to that address until things were rectified," he told CBC News.

"Obviously it was a health and safety issue for our employees."

Last week, a Nova Scotia senior spoke to CBC News about thebedbug issues she's encountered for the past five years, renewing long-standing complaints about the conditions at the Dartmouth manor.

Carmelita Shadbolt said she's thrown out two mattresses and has had her apartment sprayed at six-week intervals but the problem hasn't been solved.

Alderney Manor is run by the Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority, part of the provincial Department of Community Services.

Curtis Coward, the property manager at Alderney Manor, said he first heard about the lack of mail delivery from the residents.

"Residents were definitely upset because they're not getting their mail. I can understand that," he said.

"It's a building of 200 residents and that's a lot of mail that's not being delivered."

Coward said the area where the mailboxes are located was treated on Tuesday night and no bedbugs were found, so the mail service resumed Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority has said it will start a three-month offensivebeginning Jan. 28against bedbugs elsewhere in the building.

Canada Post said it's been assured the area will be kept clear of bedbugs on an ongoing basis.

"[Workers] didn't encounter bedbugs but the opportunity for that to happen was there," Caines told CBC News.

"In the interest of their safety and health we decided to wait until the area was cleared."