Toronto is still Canada's most rat-infested city

The "rattiest" cities in Canada have been revealed, and for the third year in a row, Toronto remains the national leader.

Pest control provider Orkin has just released its annual list of Canada's top "rattiest cities."

The ranking is based on the number of rat and mouse treatments that Orkin performed from August 1, 2023, through July 31, 2024, in residential and commercial properties.

"This year saw Toronto and Vancouver vying for first place in the rodent race and welcomed Montreal and Halifax onto the list," reads the report.

Eight cities are in Ontario, but B.C. residents seem to have it worse, with 12 cities on the list. Yikes.

B.C.'s rat population is so problematic that a Canadian professor recently spoke at the National Urban Rat Summit in New York to share her team's latest findings.

Do you live in one of the rattiest cities in Canada? Here are the 25 cities with the worst rat problems:

1. Toronto, Ontario
2. Vancouver, B.C.
3. Kelowna, B.C.
4. Burnaby, B.C.
5. Victoria, B.C.
6. Mississauga, Ontario
7. Richmond, B.C.
8. Surrey, B.C.
9. Scarborough, Ontario
10. St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
11. Moncton, New Brunswick
12. Ottawa, Ontario
13. Winnipeg, Manitoba
14. Vernon, B.C.
15. Langley, B.C.
16. Coquitlam, B.C.
17. Sudbury, Ontario
18. Abbotsford, B.C.
19. Delta, B.C.
20. Brampton, Ontario
21. Hamilton, Ontario
22. Port Coquitlam, B.C.
23. Etobicoke, Ontario
24. Montreal, Quebec
25. Halifax, Nova Scotia

Although it's not assuring to hear that you share your city with a massive rat population, there are ways to curb or prevent infestations:

• Get rid of places where they can hide by removing clutter indoors and outdoors. Also, make sure to trim overgrown vegetation and keep grass short.
• Clear clogged gutters and fix leaky pipes and faucets indoors and outdoors to eliminate moisture and cut off water sources.
• Clean yards of fallen fruits or vegetables to eliminate food sources. Ensure your garbage isn't overflowing, and store it in rodent-proof bins.
• Close any potential entry points larger than 1/4 inch with rodent-proof materials. Keep doors rodent-proof by installing weather strips on exterior doors to block entry points.

The report states, "As winter rolls in, pest control leader Orkin Canada reminds homeowners and business owners to take precautions to help keep rodents out."