Vancouver didn't claim the top spot on an annual ranking of Canadian cities — but locals are likely relieved about that.
While Vancouver is B.C.'s rattiest city for the seventh year running (yuck), Toronto beat it out for the top spot in the country.
Vancouver wasn't the only B.C. city to crack the top 10 rattiest list. Burnaby placed third overall, followed by Kelowna in fourth.
Following Mississauga, Ont. in fifth, Richmond placed sixth, followed by Victoria in seventh. A pair of other Ontarian cities, Ottawa and Scarborough, placed eighth and ninth, while Moncton in New Brunswick rounded out the top 10.
The list is compiled by Orkin, Canada’s largest pest control company. Cities are ranked by the number of rodent (rat and mice) treatments the company performed from Aug. 1, 2022, through July 31, 2023, and it includes both residential and commercial treatments.
“Rat and mice calls used to be expected primarily in the fall and winter as they escape the cold outdoors, but now they are becoming a year-round effort,” said Alice Sinia, pest specialist and entomologist with Orkin Canada.
“Longer summer seasons coupled with abundant food sources provide ideal conditions for exponential growth in rodent populations, which is why it is more important than ever to use integrated pest management techniques to tackle all of the conditions that allow mice and rats to proliferate.”
The top 10 rattiest cities in Canada in 2023
- Toronto, Ont.
- Vancouver, B.C.
- Burnaby, B.C.
- Kelowna, B.C.
- Mississauga, Ont.
- Richmond, B.C.
- Victoria, B.C.
- Ottawa, Ont.
- Scarborough, Ont.
- Moncton, N.B.
The top 10 rattiest cities in B.C. in 2023
- Vancouver
- Burnaby
- Kelowna
- Victoria
- Richmond
- Surrey
- Vernon
- Delta
- Abbotsford
- Coquitlam
As more regions across Canada see the introduction of rodenticide bans amidst a growing rodent population, Orkin reminds people of what they can do to mitigate rodents from entering their homes and frequenting their property:
- Seal cracks or holes in exterior walls, expansion joints, and foundations, and install weather stripping around windows and doors.
- Install screens on utility openings and ducts.
- Reduce harbourage by trimming shrubs and grass, removing weeds and clearing unnecessary clutter from the yard and near the property.
- Get rid of moisture sources, such as clogged gutters.
- Store objects away from exterior walls and about 45 centimetres off the ground.
- Rodent-proof sheds, which can be major breeding and harbourage spots for rodents in the winter.
- Garbage attracts rodents by providing them with food and water. Practice good waste disposal by keeping garbage and food waste away from your property. Use tight-fitting lid containers and be cautious about garbage overflow.
