Kitchener falls on Ontario’s rattiest cities list

Maybe the rats have moved on.

Orkin Canada says Kitchener has dropped four places on their rattiest cities list for Ontario.

Kitchener is ranked 19th, while Cambridge comes in at number 16, up two spots from 2017.

Orkin ranks cities by the number of rodent (rat & mice) treatments the company performed from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. 

“Some of the reasons why we would have rats in the area (Kitchener) is the general construction. The more construction we have in the area, the more prone to rats having to move to new locations. Which would cause the number of people having to deal with rats to go up.” said Bruno Levesque, a regional manager with Orkin Canada. “As well, it could be compost programs and garbage collection does play a role in rats as well … being on top of that will help our population decline as well.”

Toronto is the province's rattiest city.

Here are some rodent prevention tips from Orkin:

• Trim the Trees: Landscaping can be a big-rodent attractant. Keep shrubbery cut back at least one meter from the exterior walls of your home to eliminate any hiding spots for rodents and to avoid giving them a “jumping off” point
• Cut Off the Water: Eliminate any moisture sources, necessary for pests’ survival, such as clogged gutters or water gathering in trash or recycling bins. Inspect both inside and outside your property for rodent droppings, burrows and rub marks along baseboards and walls. The more quickly rodents are detected, the better
• Close the Gap: Look for possible entry points outside the home, seal all cracks larger than 1/4 of an inch and install weather strips at the bottom of exterior doors. Keep your property clean, inside and out. Clean up crumbs and spills as soon as they happen to avoid leaving food residue or sugary substances that can attract rodents. Store all food (including pet food) in tightly-sealed containers like plastic bins, and never leave food or dishes sitting out overnight