Bed Bugs Are A Canada-Wide Conundrum & These Cities Have It Worst

Canadians have plenty of creepy crawlies to contend with from coast to coast, but bed bugs may be the biggest bane of all, especially in cities facing the worst infestations.

Exterminator experts Orkin Canada mapped out where the tiny terrors struck hardest last year, leaving itchy bites and sleepless nights in their wake. They also shared tips on the best ways to identify and prevent the pests.

The Canadian city most itching for bed bug relief is Toronto, followed by Vancouver, Sudbury, Oshawa and Ottawa. In fact, Ontario dominated the top 10 entries on the list with eight cities ridden with the critters. Further down the list, Montreal placed 12th, Edmonton 14th and Halifax came in last at 25th.

The ranking is based on the number of bed bug treatments performed by Orkin Canada, both residential and commercial, in each locale between January 1 and December 31, 2022. The company has less of a presence in some cities, which may have impacted results.

"Contrary to popular belief, bed bugs are visible to the naked eye, but are excellent at hiding," said Orkin entomologist Dr. Alice Sinia.

To help you sleep tight and not let the bed bugs bite, she advises regularly checking hot zones like mattresses, behind baseboards, nightstands, picture frames and soft furniture, decluttering your space to make inspections easier, and thoroughly inspecting secondhand furniture for signs of bed bugs before bringing it into your home.

"Examining clothing and luggage regularly while traveling can help prevent introducing bed bugs into your home or business, helping you stop a future infestation from occurring," she said.

Here's the full list of Canadian cities with the highest concentration of Orkin-reported bed bug infestations:

1. Toronto, ON
2. Vancouver, B.C.
3. Sudbury, ON
4. Oshawa, ON
5. Ottawa, ON
6. Scarborough, ON
7. Sault Ste. Marie, ON
8. London, ON
9. St. John’s, N.L.
10. Hamilton, ON
11. Winnipeg, MB
12. Montreal, QC
13. Windsor, ON
14. Edmonton, AB
15. Timmins, ON
16. Moncton, N.B.
17. North York, ON
18. Etobicoke, ON
19. Calgary, AB
20. Mississauga, ON
21. Whitby, ON
22. Prince George, B.C.
23. Regina, SK
24. Brampton, ON
25. Halifax, N.S.