Toronto Named Most Bed Bug Ridden City In Canada

Orkin Canada has released its annual list of the top 25 “bed buggiest” cities in Canada, with Toronto claiming the top spot for the seventh year in a row.

Vancouver dropped from second to sixth place on this year’s ranking, while Sudbury rose to second place and Oshawa to third. Winnipeg also cracked the top ten this year after placing eleventh in 2022, now ranking seventh across the country.

The top 10 bed bug ridden cities in Canada are:

1. Toronto

2. Sudbury

3. Oshawa

4. Hamilton

5. Ottawa

6. Vancouver

7. Winnipeg

8. St. John’s

9. Sault Ste. Marie

10. Scarborough

“As we’ve seen travel return to pre-pandemic levels, Canadians should be on guard for bed bugs, as these pests are extremely resilient and can hitchhike from place to place unnoticed and with ease,” said Dr. Alice Sinia, an entomologist with Orkin Canada. “Known as expert hitchhikers, bed bugs cling to clothing, luggage and furniture to invade new spaces, stowing themselves in baseboards, electronics, bedding, wallpaper, wall hangings and sofas.”

Orkin Canada urges residents and tourists not to panic, but to be vigilant and stay on the lookout for signs and traces of bed bugs in order to avoid infestations.

While bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, they are cryptic and excellent at hiding, making them difficult to control. Having a trained professional intervene at the first sight of a bed bug is highly recommended.

Orkin Canada’s K9 team of detection dogs are trained to locate bed bugs with incredible accuracy. Available across Canada, the K9 team detects bed bugs and their eggs, dead or alive, signalling to their handlers for further inspection.

The Orkin Canada bed bug list is compiled based on the number of commercial and residential bed bug treatments performed by the company in 2023.