Toronto ranked number 1 city in Canada for bed bugs

Toronto often finds itself perched at the top of various best-of lists. In recent years The Big Smoke has been voted one of the top cities to live and work in the world, with the some of the best restaurants in the country.

But there’s little to brag about when it comes to the latest list we’ve topped. According to pest control provider, Orkin Canada, we’re number one when it comes to bed bugs.

Toronto topped all Canadian cities when it came to the number of commercial and residential bed bug treatments carried out by Orkin.

Here’s the top 10:

• Toronto
• Winnipeg
• Vancouver
• Ottawa
• St. John’s
• Edmonton
• Halifax
• Sudbury
• Scarborough
• Calgary

The dubious honour may not come as a surprise to some. Bed bugs have been spotted in Toronto Public Library books, on the TTC, and in numerous rental and vacation properties. According to the bed bug registry, there are currently 2270 reports for the critters across the city.

Here’s some helpful tips for homeowners and vacationers trying to stay bed-bug free: (Source: Orkin Canada)

• Inspect thoroughly the beds, soft furnishings and framed pictures – look for insects, blood stains, dead bugs and eggs
• Keep all your luggage elevated and away from soft furnishings
• When returning home, leave your luggage in the garage and put all clothing in the dryer at the highest appropriate temperature for at least 15 minutes