Toronto named Canada’s ‘rattiest’ city for second year in a row

Toronto has been named the ‘rattiest’ city in Canada, again.

Orkin, the pest control company, released its annual list of Canadian cities with rodent issues (see rankings below) and Ontario’s capital topped the list for the second consecutive year. The company says the six has a higher population of the pests than any other place in the country.

Mississauga and Scarborough were the only other GTA cities that cracked the top 10. The GTHA is well-represented in the top 25 with Brampton, Etobicoke, North York, Hamilton and Oshawa all making the list. Ottawa and Sudbury were the only other Ontario representatives.

The company says the rankings are based on the number of commercial and residential rodent calls that Orkin received from the start of August 2022 through to the end of July 2023. It includes calls for both rats and mice.

The top 10 rattiest cities in Canada in 2023:

1. Toronto
2. Vancouver
3. Burnaby
4. Kelowna
5. Mississauga
6. Richmond
7. Victoria
8. Ottawa
9. Scarborough
10. Moncton

Vancouver dropped to number two in the rankings last year after topping the annual list for the last five years.

The full list from Orkin can be found here.

Tips to prevent rodents from entering your home as winter approaches

Orkins is also out with advice for anyone looking to take precautions to ensure rats don’t try to enter their home as the weather turns cold.

Rodent-proofing tactics to keep rats, mice out of homes:

• Trim the Trees – Landscaping can be a big-rodent attractant. Keep shrubbery cut back at least one meter from the exterior walls of your home to eliminate any hiding spots for rodents and to avoid giving them a “jumping off” point.
• Cut off the water – Eliminate any moisture sources, necessary for pests’ survival, such as clogged gutters or water gathering in trash or recycling bins.
  Inspect both inside and outside your property for rodent droppings, burrows and rub marks along baseboards and walls. The more quickly rodents are detected, the better
• Close the Gap – Look for possible entry points outside the home, seal all cracks larger than 1/4 of an inch and install weather strips at the bottom of exterior doors.
• Keep property clean – inside and out. Clean up crumbs and spills as soon as they happen to avoid leaving food residue or sugary substances that can attract rodents. Store all food (including pet food) in tightly-sealed containers like plastic bins, and never leave food or dishes sitting out overnight.