A mixed-use commercial building in Sainte-Catherine, on the South Shore of Montreal, with offices on the second floor and retail on the ground floor, was suffering from a severe infestation of rock pigeons installed on the roofs, canopies and ledges of the entire façade. Shopkeepers complained of customers being pushed away by droppings at the entrance, and office tenants reported flying and cooing noises disrupting work meetings. Our team in Sainte-Catherine assessed the situation and proposed a customized intervention program for this mixed-use building, in an area near Saint-Constant.
Inspection and mapping of infestation areas
The building had architectural features that favored the settlement of pigeons: wide flat canopies above the shops, deep window sills on the second floor, and a flat roof with several reliefs providing sheltered resting areas. Our technician has established a precise map of all the infestation areas, differentiating between active roosting areas, nesting areas and areas of regular passage.
This mapping revealed that the pigeons used the building in a structured way: they nested on the flat roof, roosted on the canopies during the day, and fed on the nearby commercial streets. Understanding this behaviour is essential to designing a pest bird control program that systematically severes all links between birds and the building.
Treatment of the flat roof and canopies
On the flat roof, we installed a hybrid system combining stainless steel tensioned cables and metal anti-perch spikes. The cables cover large flat surfaces and raised edges, while the spikes protect protruding structures and air conditioning equipment. The entire system was installed without piercing the waterproofing membrane thanks to the use of concrete ballast on which the cable posts are anchored.
For the canopies, black polyethylene nets were stretched under the metal structures, covering the hollow space between the canopy and the façade. This type of net, practically invisible from the street thanks to its dark colour, prevents any nesting in the protected area of the canopies. The nets were fixed on aluminium frames discreetly screwed into the existing profiles of the awnings.
On the window sills of the second floor, transparent polycarbonate spikes were installed to deter pigeons from settling there without affecting the natural lighting of the offices. All gaps between the façade and the exterior joinery were also sealed, in coordination with our caulking service at the entry points.
Cleaning of facades and canopies
The canopies and facades of the building had significant accumulations of droppings, visible from the street and damaging the brand image of the tenant businesses. Our team carried out a complete dry steam cleaning, an effective technique for removing encrusted droppings without damaging the façade cladding. Bactericidal disinfection followed the cleaning to neutralize the residual health risks.
The cleaning work on the outdoor common areas took place over two days during the week, outside of peak commercial hours. Signage has been installed to inform the public of the work underway.
Assessment and preventive maintenance
A month after the intervention, the condominium association and the tenant merchants have expressed their satisfaction: the facades have remained clean, the entrances to the shops are free of droppings and the offices have regained the calm necessary for work. Our work in a similar commercial building and our intervention in a mixed-use building testify to our experience in this type of mandate.
Nova Extermination offers annual maintenance contracts that include inspection of installed devices, replacement of weather-damaged components, and rapid response if new infestations occur. This type of long-term partnership is the best guarantee to keep a commercial building free of the presence of pest birds.