In Nova Scotia there's the Tenancy Board, which I've dangled over the head of a number of landlords and agencies over such things.
For Edmonton:
Service Alberta: Common Questions - Landlords and Tenants
How do I deal with bedbugs in my apartment?
Notify your landlord and report the bed bugs. The landlord should inspect all the units adjacent to, above and below the apartment found to have bed bugs. The landlord must hire a professional pest control operator approved by Alberta Environment and/or heat treatment professional operator to treat for bed bugs. For additional information read
Bedbugs on the the
My Health Alberta website.
Read through this and know your rights. It doesn't matter what a Landlord thinks you should be dealing with yourself..... they have obligations to uphold while providing you a contracted service for your money.
The normal procedure is to contact the landlord of the building you are renting out. If they do nothing, you then contact the agency who employs that landlord..... if there is no agency and the landlord is an independent, then move to the next step.
If you feel the are breaching any agreements with the Tenancy Act and are not doing what is expected of them, then you have every right to contact the Tenancy Board and explain the situation. If you and multiple tenants contact them together, it produces a better case for you guys. Attempt to organize a time for them to have someone come out and inspect the building in which you are renting and let them assess the situation. You will also need to inform them that you have contacted the landlord over these matters at least once before you came to them.
They will then make their recommendation and hang the landlord by the balls by either forcing them to fix the place up to meet the Tenancy Agreement or take further action..... which be a lot worse for them.
If a landlord expects that they should be able to take your money while not doing anything to keep the dwelling in a satisfactory condition, then they have another thing coming. If they expect you to fix everything yourself, then they should also expect to not get any money from you.
Another option you can also take is to get someone in to fix the problem and then send the landlord the bill. (Depending on the rules/laws in your area)
But above all else, always keep records of everything. Send all requests, damage reports, infestation notifications on record. Keep it all in writing and don't just rely on verbal agreements. Take photos of mould and infestations or any other damages to the place that could be a danger or risk to you and others inside the dwelling. And it also helps to keep everything dated.
When you sign a contract of Tenancy, there are agreements and responsibilities that both you as a tenant and the landlord must adhere to..... it is not just a one way street to protect the landlords.
Landlords have protections against tenants who trash their buildings and cause disturbances, etc..... and Tenants have protections against landlords not maintaining an adequately healthy and safe environment to live in.