A pest control company ranked Canada's worst cities for bed bugs. Here's how Vancouver did.
Vancouver was one of Canada's worst cities in Canada for bed bugs last year, according to a pest control company's annual rankings.
Orkin released the rankings earlier this week, which are based on the number of bed-bug-related treatments the company carries out at both residential and commercial properties.
The city was the only one in B.C. with the dubious distinction of cracking the top 10, coming in just behind Toronto. In 2021, Vancouver was ranked third.
The blood-sucking bugs can live for up to a year and survive months without feeding. They also reproduce "rapidly," with females laying between one to five eggs each day, according to Orkin.
This year's list was released along with advice on how to detect and prevent infestations, with an emphasis on how to mitigate some of the risks of bringing home a "hitchhiker" when returning from vacation.
"Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, but are excellent at hiding," Dr. Alice Sinia, an entomologist at Orkin Canada said in a post on the website.
“Bed bugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control. As people begin to ramp up their travel plans this year, it’s important they know how to protect themselves."
Hotels are the most obvious places one of the insects could be encountered and inadvertently brought home from a trip – but Orkin says there are others.
"Bed bugs thrive in dark, cool places with long-term access to humans. Therefore, they can be found on airplane and train seats, buses, or in rental cars," Orkin's website says.
Doing a thorough check of any beds in hotel rooms or other accommodations is recommended, as is checking luggage and personal items before departing.
"Bed bugs can also hide or hitchhike inside books, cloth toiletry kits and other non-metal personal items including electronics, such as cellphones, laptops and even headphones," the company's website notes.
The full list of the worst cities in Canada for bed bugs is:
- Toronto, Ont.
- Vancouver, B.C.
- Sudbury, Ont.
- Oshawa, Ont.
- Ottawa, Ont.
- Scarborough, Ont.
- Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
- London, Ont.
- St. John’s, N.L.
- Hamilton, Ont.
- Winnipeg, Man.
- Montreal, Que.
- Windsor, Ont.
- Edmonton, Alta.
- Timmins, Ont.
- Moncton, N.B.
- North York, Ont.
- Etobicoke, Ont.
- Calgary, Alta.
- Mississauga, Ont.
- Whitby, Ont.
- Prince George, B.C.
- Regina, Sask.
- Brampton, Ont.
- Halifax, N.S.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.
Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.