These are the hot spots for rat sightings in Ottawa

CTV’s Peter Szperling has a look at the Ottawa neighbourhoods with the most rat sightings.

The City of Ottawa will continue to conduct more frequent garbage cleanup in high-traffic areas, sewer baiting in problem areas and increase public education campaigns in neighbourhoods to address rat issues across the city.

Rideau-Vanier continues to be the hot spot for rat complaints, with 73 calls to 3-1-1 about rats in 2024 and 12 calls in the first three months of 2025. There were 43 complaints about rats in Capital ward in 2024, 38 calls to 3-1-1 from Orleans East-Cumberland and 37 requests for service from Beacon Hill-Cyrville.

Ottawa’s 3-1-1 line received 512 calls for service about rats in 2024 and 72 in the first three months in 2025. There were 845 calls for service about rats in 2023.

In April, Coun. Tim Tierney asked city staff for an update on the city’s anti-rat working group and the plan to deal with problem areas this year.

Staff say the Rat Mitigation Working Group is using several tactics to address concerns about rats, including public education campaigns to inform residents about best practices to prevent rats, improving waste collection and disposal practices that reduce food sources and regular inspection and maintenance of sewer systems.

In response to Tierney’s motion or the environment and climate change committee, Infrastructure and Water Services general manager Tammy Rose said, to support wards in addressing rat issues, the city will employ the following tactics:

• Enhanced Waste Management: More frequent debris and litter cleanup in high traffic and Business Improvement Areas. Major bus stations with a high volume of passengers will have garbage cleared daily.
• Increased Public Education: Bylaw Services officers will respond to the address where a service request about rats is received and proactively inspect the surrounding area. “This educational and proactive approach helps build community awareness and addresses potential issues before they escalate,” Rose says.
• Sewer Baiting: The city will conduct sewer baiting in areas where an investigation has confirmed rats are in the sewers.

The City of Ottawa has also developed a new Rat Sightings Reporting Tool for residents to report rats.

“Requests submitted through the form will be actioned by the appropriate team,” Rose said. “This is a major step toward tracking and reducing the rat population.”

Rat Mitigation Working Group

The City of Ottawa provided an update on the work of the Rat Mitigation Working Group late Tuesday, outlining some of the steps being taken to assist in controlling rat populations.

Some of the other work underway includes:

• Inspection of Food Premises: Ottawa Public Health continues to inspect food premises. "During both routine and complaint-based inspections, Public Health Inspectors confirm applicable rodent control measures are in place for each facility," the city said.
• Rental Housing Property Management Bylaw: The bylaw requires landlords to have an integrated pest management plan, including proactive inspections.
• City Facility Maintenance: Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services conducts regular cleaning and sanitation of facilities and takes “corrective action” on buildings to deter rats.
• City Park Maintenance: Staff say crews continue to monitor parks for signs of rats and conducts pest management control activities when needed.

Tierney’s motion shows the number of 3-1-1 requests for rats in each ward in 2024.

• Orleans East-Cumberland: 38 (3 in 2025)
• Orleans West-Innes: 14 (0 in 2025)
• Barrhaven West: 22 (2 in 2025)
• Kanata North: 4 (0 in 2025)
• West Carleton-March: 0 in 2024 and 2025
• Stittsville: 7 (4 in 2025)
• Bay: 19 (4 in 2025)
• College: 26 (4 in 2025)
• Knoxdale-Merivale: 22 (3 in 2025)
• Gloucester-Southgate: 13 (0 in 2025)
• Beacon Hill-Cyrville: 37 (5 in 2025)
• Rideau Vanier: 73 (12 in 2025)
• Rideau-Rockcliffe: 27 (3 in 2025)
• Somerset: 18 (4 in 2025)
• Kitchissippi: 15 (4 in 2025)
• River: 19 (1 in 2025)
• Capital: 43 (2 in 2025)
• Alta Vista: 21 (7 in 2025)
• Orleans South-Navan: 21 (6 in 2025)
• Osgoode: 4 (0 in 2025)
• Rideau-Jock: 1 (0 in 2025)
• Riverside South-Findlay Creek: 7 (4 in 2025
• Kanata South: 33 (1 in 2025)
• Barrhaven East: 25 (3 in 2025)
• Unknown wards: 3