Maple Ridge is ranked 17th on a pest control company’s list of the rattiest cities in B.C.
Orkin Canada released the list late last month of the 20 municipalities across the province where it performed the most rodent treatments last year, including residential and commercial buildings.
Vancouver topped the list, followed by Victoria and Burnaby.
Tasleem Juma, with Fraser Health, said that the authority’s environmental health officers get calls from the public from time-to-time about rats and other pests, but that they are the responsibility of property owners.
She advises to ensure a rat-free area, food and water sources have to be eliminated, as do hiding and living places for the rodents and building exteriors should be protected.
Garbage should be kept in metal containers with tight-fitting lids, she added, and unused piles of lumber, old sheds or buildings should be removed. Vents should also be covered with metal screening or steel mesh.
Orkin’s rodent prevention tips: seal cracks and holes in foundations with weather-resistant sealant; install weather stripping around windows and doors, as well as door sweeps; cut back shrubbery at least one metre from the exterior walls of dwellings; eliminate moisture sources; and check for rodent droppings for early detection.
Orkin’s list of rattiest cities:
1. Vancouver
2. Victoria
3. Burnaby
4. Richmond
5. Surrey
6. Langley
7. Kelowna
8. Duncan
9. Abbotsford
10. Coquitlam
11. Delta
12. Nanaimo
13. Sidney
14. Kamloops
15. New Westminster
16. Port Alberni
17. Maple Ridge
18. Port Moody
19. Port Coquitlam
20. Terrace
mailto:cflanagan@mapleridgenews.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter