Oshawa, Whitby make Orkin national bed bug list – Toronto #1

Oshawa and Whitby have made the Orkin Canada annual list that no city wants to be on – the top bed buggiest cities in Canada, with Oshawa claiming number five on the list.

Whitby was ranked 20.

The rankings show that the overall number of bed bug sightings nationwide remained similar to the year prior and remains below pre-pandemic levels.

The City of Toronto claimed the number 1 spot for the third year in a row. Vancouver went up to number 3 (from 4), St John’s rose to number 4 (from 6), and Winnipeg dropped substantially, falling to number 9 (from 5).

The findings by Orkin Canada are based on the number of commercial and residential bed bug treatments carried out by the company in 2021.

The top 10 bed buggiest cities in Canada in 2021 are:

1. Toronto
2. Sudbury
3. Vancouver
4. St John’s
5. Oshawa
6. Scarborough
7. Moncton
8. Saint John
9. Winnipeg
10. Edmonton

Other Ontario cities in the top 25 include Sault Ste. Marie (11), Windsor (12), Timmins (13), Ottawa (14), Mississauga (15), Etobicoke (16), North York (19), Peterborough (21), Hamilton (22) and North Bay (24).

Travel bans, stay-at-home orders, and a general shift to working remotely have resulted in fewer hitch-hiking opportunities for these critters but they have found a way to stick around. Bed bugs latch onto people, clothing, and furniture.  All it can take is an airplane seat, hotel bed or even an office chair for these pesky bed bugs to invade your space.

Due to their ability to double in population about every 16 days, it will not be difficult for bed bugs to regain their grip on Canadians. As Canadians start to travel, whether to the office or on vacation, so too will bed bugs.

Concerned Canadians can keep their offense strong through proactive prevention tips such as careful examination of furniture and clothing after guests leave your home, drying potentially infested bed linens or clothing on the highest heat setting, and sealing cracks in walls, trims, and bed frames. A pest management professional can also help manage problems should they arise.