Canada's Most Rat-Infested Cities Have Been Revealed & Things Could Be About To Get Worse
Canada may have a rodent problem. 👀
A rat on a road. Right: People on a street in Vancouver.
Watch where you're walking, folks! Canada's most rat-infested cities have just been named and it's not looking pretty.
Pest control company Orkin Canada has just released its annual national ranking of the top 25 "rattiest" cities in Canada, and it's probably no surprise to see some major hubs listed in the top 10.
The company issued the report based on the number of commercial and residential rodent treatments it carried out between August 1, 2021 and July 31, 2022.
The ranking notes that as "pandemic fears wane," and cities return to normal, food sources are becoming abundantly available in urban areas for rats and mice again. Yikes.
However, there is some good news. Thanks to the abundance of food, Canadians likely won't be seeing the aggressive rat behaviour like "cannibalism, street fights and territorialism," that was prevalent during lockdowns.
We can still expect that overall population growth in cities may result in increased rat sightings and more rodent activity.
What are the most rat-infested cities in Canada in 2022?
Taking the number one spot in the top 10 "rattiest" cities in Canada list is none other than Toronto.
Vancouver came in second, while Burnaby and Kelowna took third and fourth place respectively.
The fifth most "ratty" city in Canada is none other than Mississauga.
In sixth position is Calgary, although the study notes that this is for "mice only." Are we supposed to be relieved?
Victoria was named only the seventh "rattiest."
Richmond, Edmonton (again, mice only!) and St. John's wrapped up the top 10 list, in that order.With Canada's winter forecast for 2022 looking pretty chilly, the pest control company is advising Canadians to do a basic inspection of their property and to implement some rodent-proofing tactics.
These include sealing cracks or holes in the foundations and walls, practicing proper garbage storage and disposal, installing weather stripping around windows or doors and repairing any worn-out window screens.
All of this comes just a few days after a Tim Hortons location went viral for having a drive-thru crawling with rats. Yuck.
Best of luck out there, Canada!
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.