Victoria ranked 3rd-rattiest city in B.C., according to pest control company
Orkin Canada has released its annual top 10 list of the rattiest cities in British Columbia and Victoria has once again cracked the top three.
It’s not a list that any city wants to be on, and this year’s ranking is actually an improvement over last year.
“We slipped actually, we slipped in the rankings,” said Christopher Day, Vancouver Island branch manager for Orkin Vancouver Island.
“Last year we were number two, this year we are number three in the province.”
The list was compiled somewhat unscientifically by Orkin Canada Pest Control. The numbers are based on the number of calls the company received in each city.
This year, Vancouver gets the top spot, followed by Burnaby, then Victoria.
Elsewhere on the Island, Duncan fell to 18th from last year’s 14th-place ranking, and Sidney dropped off the list entirely.
“I think COVID has played a roll, certainly, in the proliferation of rodents in the area,” said Matt O’Neill, vice president of sales for Pest Detective.
Through the pandemic, downtown cores have been relatively empty, leaving rodents to live unbothered.
On the residential side, more people are preparing food at home. A recent survey conducted for Dalhousie University Agri-Foods Analytics Labs shows that Canadians have been producing 13.5 per cent more food waste during the pandemic. That means more food that rodents could get their paws on.
“You’re 100 feet from a rat at any point in the city, in my opinion,” said Adrian Maddaloni, senior control technician for Pest Detective Victoria.
Maddaloni says this time of year, rats make up 50 to 60 per cent of his business. It’s getting colder outside, and rats are looking for a warm place to hunker down.
“They are habituated to go up, search out and find entry points into our homes,” said Maddaloni. “They will take advantage of any weak spot in your home that you have.”
He says your best defence in protecting your property is to take away the rats’ food source. Block all entry points to areas that rodents could nest in and remove tall bushes from beside your house.
“They’re little furry ninjas,” said Maddaloni. “They will find their way up there if they really want to.”
Due to our mild wet climate, we’re stuck with those little critters, just like they are stuck with us.
“The challenges are always going to be (that) we want to live in this climate and, well, so do they,” said Day.
Correction
Adrian Maddaloni's last name has been corrected. The proper spelling is Maddaloni.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Steve Albini, legendary producer for Nirvana, the Pixies and an alternative rock pioneer, dies at 61
Steve Albini, an alternative rock pioneer and legendary producer who shaped the musical landscape through his work with Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, has died. He was 61.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.