Pest control company Orkin Canada has put together its annual list of the top “rattiest cites” in Canada, and BC’s capital is high up on the list.
Victoria was ranked the seventh rattiest city in the country, and the fourth rattiest city in BC this year.
Meanwhile, Nanaimo was ranked the 20th rattiest city in the province, the only other island community to make the list of top 25 rattiest cities in BC
Across Canada, Toronto was named the rattiest city this year, followed by Vancouver and Burnaby in second and third place, respectively.
Orkin created its ranking based on how many rat and mouse treatments it was called to in each city between Aug. 1, 2021 and July 31, 2022.
The pest control company is reminding Canadians to be on the lookout as fall settles in, since rats and mice may be seeking warmer shelters amid cooler weather.
Orkin recommends that all entry points into a property be sealed, since any crack larger than one-quarter of an inch can let rodents in.
Trees and shrubs should also be cut back at least one meter away from a building, and any crumbs or spills inside a house should be cleaned up immediately to not attract rodents.
Orkin also recommends clearing out gutters and making sure any unnecessary water pools are drained, like in trash cans or recycling bins, to reduce pest interest.
“As pandemic fears wane, and Canadian cities are back in business, food sources are abundantly available in urban and commercial areas again for rats and mice,” said Orkin in a release Tuesday.
The increase in food sources means aggressive behaviors that some rodents were expressing during the pandemic will likely decrease, such as “cannibalism, ‘street fights’ and territorialism,” said Orkin.
However, the increase in food sources will also lead to a rise in rat and mice sightings, according to the pest control company.
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