Province ramps up bedbug fight at Alderney Manor

One Nova Scotia senior says she's had bedbug problems for the past five years, renewing long-standing complaints about the conditions at Alderney Manor in Dartmouth.

"I'm always awake, scared to sleep," said Carmelita Shadbolt.

She's already had to throw out two mattresses.

"It's been very stressful. I wash my bedding every day and it's just a waste of time," she said.

Despite having her apartment sprayed at six-week intervals, Shadbolt said the problem hasn't been solved.

The Metropolitan Regional Housing Authority, part of the Department of Community Services, says it's aware of problem.

"We've had reports of bedbug issues at Alderney Manor and we've been working diligently to solve the issue," said spokesman John Fleming.

With so many units in one building, getting rid of the pests will be a challenge but the government says it has a plan.

"On January 28th, we're starting an intensive program to visit all units to actually determine exactly where they are and an intensive program of three months to actually take care of the issues," said Fleming.

Dave Holland, with Braemar Pest Control Services, says while multiple treatments are often needed, spraying alone won't always fix the problem.

"The first process you have to do is a thorough inspection, you have look and check where those bedbugs are," he said.

"If you have eggs inside a piece of furniture, it's extremely hard to kill those."