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Brampton fell one place in the annual ranking of Canada’s “seadiest cities,” but it is still considered one of the most rodent-prone communities in Ontario.

The rankings come from pest control company Orkin Canada, which found that Toronto was once again the country’s seediest city for 2024, followed by Vancouver in second place and Kelowna, British Columbia, rounding out the top three .

Last year, Brampton ranked 5th on the list of Ontario cities, but the 2024 rankings put the flower city at 6th ahead of Sudbury, which now ranks 5th in the province.

Compared to national figures, Brampton ranks 20th on the list of Canada’s 25 seediest cities.

Orkin said rodents “continue to be rampant across the country,” with Ontario high on this year’s list. Mississauga ranked 10th on national list and came second in Ontario.

In Ontario, the ten seediest cities for 2024 are Toronto, Mississauga, Scarborough, Ottawa, Sudbury, Brampton, Hamilton, Etobicoke, North York and London.

The company ranks cities based on the number of rat and mouse treatments performed between August 1 of last year and the end of July 2024. The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments, Orkin Canada says.

Rats are a common pest in large urban centers and can carry ticks and fleas and spread disease, although the risk of disease transmission is low, Orkin says.

Peel Region has closed submissions for its Residential Rat Control Grant Pilot Program earlier this year.

The program helped homeowners in Mississauga and Brampton hire Peel Region-approved pest control vendors to control rats outside their residential properties. Residents will be reimbursed 50 percent of the cost of hiring a pest control service up to a maximum of $200 per calendar year.

With the onset of colder weather, Orkin Canada says rodents will seek shelter. Here are some tips from Orkin that can help you protect your property from mice and rats:

• seal any cracks or holes in your foundation and install weather stripping around windows and doors.
• keep shrubs at least one meter from the exterior walls of your home
• get rid of sources of moisture, such as clogged gutters, and repair leaking pipes or faucets, both indoors and outdoors.
• be diligent in keeping trash and old food away from your home
• inspect the interior and exterior of your property for rodent droppings.
• clear clutter indoors and outdoors, cut back overgrown vegetation and keep grass short

For more advice, visit Orkin Canada online.

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