Toronto 
It is no surprise that cities with the highest population have the highest rodent infestation as Toronto and its administrative areas of Scarborough, North York, and Etobicoke ranked in the top 10 of the “rattiest” Ontario cities list by Orkin Canada.
The city rankings are based on the number of commercial and residential rodent (rats and mice) treatments that Orkin Canada carried out from August 1, 2020, through July 31, 2021.
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Orkin Canada says rat infestations have increased in Ottawa as the capital city moved to number four from 12. Sudbury moved down to 19 from 8, and Kitchener, which didn’t make it on last year’s list, ranked last.
The top 25 rattiest cities in Ontario in 2021 are:
- Toronto
- Mississauga
- Scarborough (Toronto)
- Ottawa
- North York (Toronto)
- Etobicoke (Toronto)
- Richmond Hill
- Brampton
- London
- Oshawa
- Markham
- Burlington
- Oakville
- Windsor
- Hamilton
- Thornhill (Markham/Vaughan)
- Pickering
- Barrie
- Sudbury
- Cambridge
- Concord (Vaughan)
- Woodstock
- St. Catharines
- Ajax
- Kitchener
According to Canada’s largest pest control provider, multiple lockdowns and additional food wastage of 13.5% during the lockdown than non-lockdown times may have caused an increase in rodent populations leading to more rats and mice in residential neighbourhoods.
Orkin Canada experts have observed bolder behaviour among rodents. Mainly nocturnal, increased sightings of rodent activity during the day have become more common, as well as migrations from resource-depleted urban centres to food-rich suburban areas, where rats and mice may have been able to reproduce and drive up the population.
Orkin Canada is reminding Canadians to seal cracks or holes in their foundation and install weather stripping around windows and doors to prevent rodents from getting inside houses as winter weather approaches.
Other rodent tips include shrubbery cut back at least one meter from the exterior walls of your home, get rid of moisture sources, such as clogged gutters, and keep garbage and old food away from your house.
