Bedbug infestations need action now, Councillor Paula Fletcher says

Toronto's Board of Health called for cash to resurrect its "Bed Bug Team" on the same day that it was revealed the city is sitting on a multi-million operating surplus.

"I don’t think there is any excuse really not to when it turns out in the first quarter of 2012, the city has a $70-million surplus," Councillor Paula Fletcher said following Monday's board meeting.

The city's bedbug eradication team was dismantled last week after its funding ran out. The province had kicked in one-time funding of $1.2 million to help pay for a manager, public health inspectors and nurses to battle the bugs for a single year, which just ended.

Earlier this year, the city asked the province for another $500,000 to keep the team going, but is still awaiting a response.