Bed bugs are hard to remove, and in Canada the advice from Health Canada is unusually direct about what to buy, what to avoid and when to call a professional. This article summarises two Health Canada pages on bedbugs, one on how to get rid of them and one listing where to go for more information. It concerns Canada only. For the United States see the site’s article on what the EPA says about registered pesticides, and for general signs and treatment see the bed bug signs and treatment guide. This is general information, not pest control advice for a particular home.
Professional treatment is the recommended route
Health Canada says it strongly advises hiring a licensed pest control operator, because bedbugs are extremely difficult to eliminate without expertise. It suggests contacting the Canadian Pest Management Association or the relevant provincial association for referrals. The pages describe the tools a professional may use: liquid and aerosol insecticide sprays, insecticidal dusts, diatomaceous earth, pressurised carbon dioxide snow, and steam or heat treatments.
If the home is rented
Health Canada tells renters to notify the landlord immediately when bedbugs are found. It says building management often asks residents to prepare a unit, which typically means emptying storage furniture, putting belongings into bags, laundering all clothes and bedding, moving furniture away from walls and following the operator’s pre-treatment instructions. Responsibility for local health issues sits with provincial and municipal public health officers, according to the contacts page, which lists provincial bodies from Alberta Health Services to Quebec’s health ministry and names the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre (TRAC) in British Columbia as a landlord-tenant contact. Tenancy rules differ by province, and the pages read do not set out those rules.
Buying pesticides: registration and labels
The guidance says to use only pesticides registered by Health Canada and to check the label for a Pest Control Products (PCP) registration number. It states that unregistered products are illegal, and advises reading labels thoroughly before buying. The label also decides where a product can go: Health Canada says never to apply pesticides to mattresses, box springs, baby cribs or toys unless the label explicitly allows it, and never to use a treatment on people, pets or bedding unless the label says so. A product registered for bed frames is not necessarily suitable for a mattress. Homemade pesticide recipes should not be used.
Physical control matters as much as chemicals
Health Canada’s key principle is that chemical treatment will only be effective if physical control methods and preventive measures are used alongside it. The methods it describes include:
- Steam: bedbugs die at 50°C and steam cleaners deliver at least 100°C; dry or low-vapour steamers keep moisture down, and moving slowly improves penetration. Steam before vacuuming.
- Heat for fabrics: small items go in a hot dryer for at least 30 minutes, and bedding and clothes are washed in hot water and dried on the hottest setting. Whole-home heat treatment is left to professionals.
- Freezing: this requires four days at a steady -19°C and may not kill every bug.
- Vacuuming: use a bagless vacuum or one with disposable bags, a stiff brush attachment and scraping motions, targeting mattresses, box springs, bed frames, skirting boards, furniture, rugs, drawers and heating units. Seal and discard bags immediately in white plastic so escapees are visible, and tape a paper towel over the hose end.
- Disposal and storage: throw out items that cannot be washed, heated or steamed, and store cleaned items in sealed heavy-duty bags or lidded bins.
Daily vacuuming is suggested as an ongoing preventive step.
What not to do
Health Canada warns against ozone generators, saying they can cause respiratory problems such as coughing, chest pain, shortness of breath and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, and that no ozone devices are approved for bedbugs in Canada. It also warns against unregistered products, homemade mixtures and applying pesticides to people, pets or bedding contrary to the label. An archived Health Canada note on indoor application methods, last updated in 2017, mentions hand-held sprayers and dust applicators for crack and crevice treatments in residential spaces, and says that re-entry intervals are not specified because restricting entry into homes is not considered feasible. Health Canada advises waiting until a product has dried before re-entering. That note is archived, so current label directions take priority.
Choosing an operator
A customer can ask a company which registered products it will use, whether it will provide preparation instructions, how many follow-up visits are included and what happens if bugs return. The site’s advice on pests returning after treatment explains what evidence to collect.
Common questions
How can I tell if a product is legal in Canada?
Health Canada says to look for a PCP registration number on the label; unregistered products are illegal.
Are foggers or ozone machines a good idea?
Health Canada specifically warns against ozone generators for bedbugs. The pages read do not recommend foggers.
Who do I contact besides the landlord?
Provincial and municipal public health officers, and in British Columbia the Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre for landlord-tenant issues.
The bottom line
Health Canada’s position is that bedbug control should be led by a licensed operator, use only registered products according to the label, and combine chemical treatment with steam, laundering, vacuuming and careful storage. Ozone generators and homemade or unregistered products are to be avoided. Renters should tell the landlord immediately and can turn to public health officers for local support.
Sources
- Health Canada, “Bedbugs: how do I get rid of them?” (canada.ca)
- Health Canada, “Bedbugs: where do I go for more information?” (canada.ca)
- Health Canada, “Information Note: Pesticide Application Methods and Areas of Use” (archived) (canada.ca)