Vancouver ranked the #1 "rattiest" city in BC for the fourth year in a row

Vancouver finds itself at the top of many different lists, but a new ranking from a national pest control company is far from ideal.

In a new survey from Orkin, a pest and wildlife control service, Vancouver was ranked the “rattiest” city in BC.

Close behind it in second place was Victoria, with Burnaby rounding out the top three.

Orkin said the cities were ranked “by the number of rodent (rat and mice) treatments the company performed from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.”

This is the fourth year in the row Vancouver topped the pest control firm’s list.

The ranking includes both residential and commercial treatments.

The top 5 “rattiest” cities in British Columbia are:

1. Vancouver
2. Victoria
3. Burnaby
4. Richmond
5. Surrey

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And here’s a look at Orkin’s top 20 list:

British Columbia’s 20 “rattiest” cities according to Orkin Canada. (Orkin)

In light of the rankings, Orkin has also offered a few tips on just how to deal with and prevent recurring rodent run-ins:

• Close the gap: Seal any cracks or holes in your foundation with weather-resistant sealant. Install weather stripping around windows and doors, as well as door sweeps.
• 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.
• 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 the interior and exterior of your home: Keep an eye out for rodent droppings, burrows, and rub marks along baseboards and walls — the faster that rodents are detected, the better.