Rats.

Two Okanagan municipalities – Kelowna and Vernon – are again among cities with the most rodents, according to Orkin Canada's annual lists of Canada's Top 25 and British Columbia's Top 20 Rattiest Cities.

City rankings are based on the number of commercial and residential rodent (rat and mice) treatments that Orkin Canada carried out from Aug. 1, 2023 through July 31, 2024.

This year saw Toronto and Vancouver vying for first place in Canada in the rodent race (Toronto won by a whisker), and welcomed Montreal and Halifax onto the list.

Kelowna was No. 3 nationwide, up from No. 4 in 2023, while Vernon came in at No. 14, and was the smallest city population-wise among the top-25. Vernon was No. 12 a year ago.

Almost half of the top-25 Canadian cities are in B.C. There are 12 provincial municipalities on the list besides Vancouver, Kelowna and Vernon, including Burnaby (No. 4), Victoria (5), Richmond (7), Surrey (8), Langley (15), Coquitlam (16), Abbotsford (18), Delta (19), and Port Coquitlam (22).

The top 10 rattiest cities in Canada in 2024 are:

1. Toronto;
2. Vancouver;
3. Kelowna;
4. Burnaby;
5. Victoria;
6. Mississauga, Ont.;
7. Richmond;
8. Surrey;
9. Scarborough, Ont.;
10. St. John's, NL.

The Top 20 Rattiest Cities in B.C. are:

1. Vancouver;
2. Kelowna;
3. Burnaby;
4. Victoria;
5. Richmond;
6. Surrey;
7. Vernon;
8. Langley;
9. Coquitlam;
10. Abbotsford;
11. Delta;
12. North Vancouver;
13. Port Coquitlam;
14. Kamloops;
15. Prince George;
16. Chilliwack;
17. New Westminster;
18. Maple Ridge;
19. Nanaimo;
20. West Vancouver.

As more regions across the country see a growing rodent population, Orkin Canada is reminding Canadians of steps that can be taken to help keep the rodents from targeting their property:

• Remove clutter indoors and outdoors, trim overgrown vegetation, and keep grass short;
• Eliminate moisture by clearing clogged gutters and fixing leaky pipes or faucets both indoors and outdoors;
• Clean up fallen fruits or vegetables in the yard, store garbage in rodent-proof bins, and prevent overflow;
• Close gaps larger than a quarter-inch with rodent-proof materials, and install weather strips on exterior doors to block entry points.

For comprehensive protection, consider contacting a pest control professional to assess your property and recommend prevention measures.

For more information, visit 

Orkin Canada, the country's largest pest control and environment services provider.