Pest control company reveals 'rattiest' cities in Ontario
The biggest pest control company in the country has unveiled its list of “rattiest” cities in Ontario and the results may leave you feeling uneasy.
In a news release, Orkin Canada released its list of the top 25 cities that saw the most rodent treatments between August 1, 2020 and July 31, 2021.
Eight of the cities featured in the top 10 include those within the Greater Toronto Area, with Toronto taking the top spot for the second year in a row.
Mississauga crawled in second and Scarborough third, according to data released by Orkin on Monday.
Ottawa scurried to the number four spot-- up from twelfth position last year—and London placed ninth.
Orkin argues that some cities may be seeing more rodents than in years past due to lockdowns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and residents cooking and eating more at home as a result.
In fact, a study commissioned by the company found that Canadians produced 13.5 per cent more food waste during periods of lockdown versus non-lockdown times.
“Food abundance means potential increases in rodent populations, which is why people may be seeing more rats and mice in residential neighbourhoods,” Orkin said.
To make matters worse, Orkin said that their experts have also observed “bolder behavior” among rodents, including increased sightings of nocturnal rats and mice during the day.
Moreover, the company claims that migrations from resource-depleted urban centres to food-rich suburban areas have resulted in population growth among the pesky pests.
However, there is hope for residents of cities at the top of the list:
- Orkin suggests sealing cracks or holes in the foundation of your home and installing weather stripping around windows and doors as the cooler weather approaches.
- Keep shrubbery at least a metre away from the walls of your house
- Clean clogged gutters and other sources of moisture
- Keep garbage and old food away from your house
For the full list of Ontario’s rattiest cities, click here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
What a urologist wants you to know about male infertility
When opposite sex couples are trying and failing to get pregnant, the attention often focuses on the woman. That’s not always the case.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.