Kelowna in top 5 'rattiest' cities in Canada as BC takes up half of top 10

Half of the top 10 “rattiest” cities in Canada are in British Columbia, according to the country’s largest pest control company.

Kelowna is fourth on the national list, third in BC and first in the BC Interior.

Orkin Canada’s ranking system is based on the number of rodent calls it responded to between Aug. 1, 2022 and July 21, 2023.

The national top 10 list is as follows:

1. Toronto

2. Vancouver

3. Burnaby

4. Kelowna

5. Mississauga

6. Richmond

7. Victoria

8. Ottawa

9. Scarborough

10. Moncton

The BC top 20, meanwhile, is:

1. Vancouver

2. Burnaby

3. Kelowna

4. Richmond

5. Victoria

6. Surrey

7. Vernon

8. Delta

9. Abbotsford

10. Coquitlam

11. Langley

12. Chilliwack

13. Kamloops

14. Prince George

15. Maple Ridge

16. New Westminster

17. Nanaimo

18. Penticton

19. Lake Country

20. Pitt Meadows

Dr. Alice Sinia, pest specialist and entomologist with Orkin Canada, said longer summers have combined with abundant food sources to enable “exponential growth” in rodent populations.

She added: “Rat and mice calls used to be expected primarily in the fall and winter as they escape the cold outdoors, but now they are becoming a year-round effort.”

Orkin Canada offered the following anti-rodent guidance to homeowners and property managers:

• Seal cracks or holes in exterior walls, expansion joints and foundations, and install weather stripping around windows and doors.

• Install screens on utility openings and ducts.

• Reduce harbourage by trimming shrubs and grass, removing weeds and clearing unnecessary clutter from the yard and near the property.

• Get rid of moisture sources, such as clogged gutters.

• Store objects away from exterior walls and about 45 centimetres off the ground.

• Rodent proof sheds, which can be major breeding and harbourage spots for rodents in the winter.

• Garbage attracts rodents by providing them with food and water. Practice good waste disposal by keeping garbage and food waste away from your property. Use tight-fitting lid containers and be cautious about garbage overflow.