New Westminster is in the top 20 provincially for Orkin Canada's latest "rattiest" city list.
The company's latest data has New West 17th among B.C. communities. This, based on the number of rat and mice treatments Orkin performed from Aug. 1, 2023, to July 31, 2024.
According to a news release, Orkin said the rankings included residential and commercial treatments.
The new ranking is also one spot lower than the 16th spot New West earned from Orkin's 2023 rattiest city report.
This year, New West was the 10th highest-ranked Metro Vancouver community on the list.
The 2024 provincial ranking was as follows:
- Vancouver
- Kelowna
- Burnaby
- Victoria
- Richmond
- Surrey
- Vernon
- Langley
- Coquitlam
- Abbotsford
- Delta
- North Vancouver
- Port Coquitlam
- Kamloops
- Prince George
- Chilliwack
- New Westminster
- Maple Ridge
- Nanaimo
- West Vancouver
Canada's top 10 rat community rankings were as follows:
- Toronto, Ont.
- Vancouver, B.C.
- Kelowna, B.C.
- Burnaby, B.C.
- Victoria, B.C.
- Mississauga, Ont.
- Richmond, B.C.
- Surrey, B.C.
- Scarborough, Ont.
- St. John's, N.L.
Orkin Canada recommends says people should take the following steps to keep rodents from targeting their property:
- Eliminate Harbourage: Remove clutter indoors and outdoors, trim overgrown vegetation and keep grass short
- Cut Off Water Sources: Eliminate moisture by clearing clogged gutters and fixing leaky pipes or faucets both indoors and outdoors
- Remove Food Sources: Clean up fallen fruits or vegetables in the yard, store garbage in rodent-proof bins and prevent overflow
- Seal Entry Points: Close gaps larger than 1/4 inch with rodent-proof materials and install weather strips on exterior doors to block entry points
