No bedbugs in TIFF theatre, Cineplex confirms

Pest-control company finds no evidence of bedbugs in theatre after guest complaint

Cineplex Entertainment says there's no need to worry about bedbugs at a downtown movie theatre that will be used for the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival.
The company says it got the all clear from Abell Pest Control Inc., which it hired Monday afternoon after hearing from a theatre guest who thought he'd been bitten by the pests at the Scotiabank theatre.
“After a thorough investigation overnight, which involved a specially trained sniffing dog and a secondary visual inspection, Abell has confirmed that there were no bed bugs located within the Scotiabank theatre,” Cineplex said in a statement Tuesday morning.
In recent months, Toronto hospitals, libraries, stores and upscale apartment buildings have been overtaken by bedbug infestations.
Earlier this month, pests invaded a popular movie theatre in New York's Times Square and sparked an investigation into all AMC theatres in Manhattan.
“Recent media coverage related to two New York City theatres has caused a flurry of media calls and guest enquiries and unfortunately has lead many people to jump to erroneous conclusions,” said Pat Marshall, vice president of communications and investor relations at Cineplex Entertainment.
“However, we took the matter seriously and fully investigated it.”
The Toronto film festival runs Sept. 9 to 19.