Oakville and Burlington among the 25 most rat-infested municipalities in Ontario, and here's where they rank

Oakville and Burlington find themselves in a not-so-great list this fall.

Pest control leader Orkin Canada released its notorious "rattiest" cities list for the year.

In the 2021 list, which Orkin published this month, Burlington and Oakville were ranked the 12th and 13th most rat-infested municipalities out of 25 Ontario jurisdictions.

Municipalities are ranked by the number of rodent (rat and mice) treatments the company performed from Aug. 1, 2020 through July 31, 2021. This ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.

Orkin said the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the rodent population.

One of the ecological impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on rodents is the depletion of resources. Rodents (rats and mice) will have had a flourishing population established around or in close vicinity to the food source, such as food handling facility dumpsters and compactors," Orkin said. However, during the lockdown, some resources suddenly disappeared, so rodents were forced to move and become bolder during the daytime. This means residences at the periphery of the restaurant/eatery or food handling facility may have become more susceptible to rodents invading."

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 such as plastic bins, and never leave food or dishes sitting out overnight.