What to know
- Orkin Canada ranked Toronto No. 1 for rodent activity in 2025, with several other Ontario and B.C. cities also dominating the top 25.
- Urban density, construction and easy access to food sources are key drivers behind higher infestation rates, according to a pest-control expert.
- Residents are urged to seal entry points, trim vegetation, clean up food and water sources and monitor for signs like droppings or burrows to prevent infestations.
Toronto is once again leading a rank of the rattiest cities in the country, followed by several other cities in Ontario that also made the list.
On Tuesday, pest control company Orkin Canada released its annual report revealing the cities with the most rats across the country.
The list compiles 25 Canadian cities ranked based on the number of residential and commercial rodents (rats and mice) treatments the company performed from Aug. 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025.
This year, Toronto topped the list for the fourth time in a row, after also scoring No.1 in 2024, 2023, and 2022.
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Several other cities in Ontario, including Mississauga, Scarborough, Markham, Etobicoke, and Ottawa also made the list. However, the province that scored the biggest number of spots in the list was British Columbia, with several of its cities being included, such as Vancouver, Victoria, Burnaby, Kelowna, and more.
The top 25 rattiest cities in Canada in 2025 are:
- Toronto, ON
- Victoria, B.C.
- Vancouver, B.C.
- Burnaby, B.C.
- Richmond, B.C.
- Mississauga, ON
- Kelowna, B.C.
- Ottawa, ON
- Scarborough, ON
- Moncton, N.B.
- Sudbury, ON
- Surrey, B.C.
- Winnipeg, MB
- Markham, ON
- Vernon, B.C.
- Abbotsford, B.C.
- Etobicoke, ON
- Langley, B.C.
- Halifax, N.S.
- North York, ON
- Delta, B.C.
- St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Brampton, ON
- Dartmouth, N.S.
- Oshawa, ON
ONTARIO’S RATTIEST CITIES
In addition to the country-wide list, Orkin also revealed a ranking of the cities in Ontario with the most rodents.
Toronto once again also topped the provincial list, followed by several other cities in the GTA.
The top 10 rattiest cities in Ontario in 2025 are:
- Toronto
- Mississauga
- Ottawa
- Scarborough
- Sudbury
- Markham
- Etobicoke
- North York
- Brampton
- Oshawa
Garrett Brown, a branch manager for Orkin Canada, tells Now Toronto that it is common for most infestation to happen in urban areas, which explains why cities in Ontario and British Columbia top the list.
“If you look at the list, it’s a lot of urban areas. It’s just a lot due to construction as well as [bigger] population. So, there’s just more access and availability to food as well,” he said on Wednesday.
HOW TO PREVENT RODENT INFESTATIONS
Brown also shared some tips with Now Toronto for Canadians looking to control rodent populations and avoid infestations.
Firstly, the expert says it is important for residents to inspect their houses for any signs of rodent infestation, including droppings, burrows, and rub marks that can help the animals be quickly detected, to avoid a bigger issue.
Closing an entry point to the home might also prevent rodents from coming inside and finding shelter.
“You’d want to look at your door seals, entry doors, exit doors, that’s usually an easy way rodents can enter the facility, as well as just looking around your conduit pipes for your plumbing or your electrical coming into the building. A lot of times there’s gaps around those which they can use to enter the facility,” he said.
Moreover, Brown says keeping the space clean can also help prevent rodent attraction, as Orkin advises residents to make sure their trees are trimmed, and cutting back shrubbery to at least one metre away from their home’s exterior walls to eliminate any hiding spots for rodents.
Moreover, inspecting the exterior and interior of houses for any signs of rodent infestation, including droppings, burrows, and rub marks can help to quickly detect the rodents to avoid a bigger issue.
Canadians should also keep their houses clean of any food and water residue that can attract rodents, including crumbs, spills and any water or moisture sources.
