The City of Delta is once again ranked among the “Rattiest Cities” in British Columbia, but at least isn’t in the top 10.
That’s according to the Orkin Canada’s latest rankings of cities across the country, which the company determines by the number of rat and mice treatments performed from Aug. 1, 2021 through July 31, 2022.
The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.
Of the top 20 communities in B.C., Delta ranked 11th overall.
The company also uses its rankings to remind homeowners and business owners to take precautions to help keep rodents out.
“As pandemic fears wane, and Canadian cities are back in business, food sources are abundantly available in urban and commercial areas again for rats and mice. With food more abundantly available in commercial areas, some of the aggressive behaviours among rats and mice that were noted during the lockdowns, such as cannibalism, ‘street fights’ and territorialism, will likely lessen. However, with population growth, there will also be increased rodent activity and sightings,” the company said in a news release.
Simple tips for property owners include trimming trees, eliminating any moisture sources, inspecting both the inside and outside properties for rodent droppings, looking for possible entry points outside the home and sealing all cracks larger than one-quarter of an inch, as well as keeping properties clean inside and out.
The Optimist over the previous couple of years covered the rat and mice issue in the community, being told by another pest control company that factors such as climate change and rodents being displaced due to development resulted in an increase in complaints.
A local auto mechanic noted many vehicles in the cooler months show evidence of the rodents scurrying around under engine hoods looking for a warn place. It can range from little footprints and droppings, chewed wiring to full nests inside. The damage can run into the thousands of dollars.
Metro Vancouver doesn’t have a coordinated program when it comes to rats, leaving individual municipalities to deal with them.
Five B.C. cities ranked in the top 10 on Orca’s national list with Vancouver ranked second, only behind Toronto which ranked first overall. Also in the national top 10 are Burnaby (3), Kelowna (4), Victoria (7) and Richmond (8).
Here’s the B.C. top 20:
1-Vancouver
2-Burnaby
3-Kelowna
4-Victoria
5-Richmond
6-Surrey
7-Vernon
8-Coquitlam
9-Port Coquitlam
10-Langley
11-Delta
12-Kamloops
13-Chilliwack
14-North Vancouver
15-Abbotsford
16-Maple Ridge
17-Prince George
18-West Vancouver
19-Penticton
20-Nanaimo
