Toronto tops pest control company’s list of worst Canadian cities for bed bugs

Toronto has topped Orkin’s list of worst Canadian cities for bed bugs in 2020.

In the pest control company’s annual list, Toronto is followed by Sudbury in second place and Oshawa in third place.

However, it appears that bed bug sightings were down overall for the year, which Orkin said is likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Travel bans, stay-at-home orders, and a general shift to working remotely have resulted in less opportunities for these hitchhikers to move around,” a news release from the company read.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The company said that as the economy begins to reopen, bed bugs will likely become a growing problem again.

“Due to their ability to double in population about every 16 days, it should not be difficult for bed bugs to regain their grip on the Canadian market,” the release said.

Orkin said the list is based on the number of commercial and residential bed bug treatments done by the company throughout the year.

4:10 How to prevent bed bugs