Pest control in Toronto: costs, city services and local pests

This guide covers what the City of Toronto actually does about pests, the rules that apply to landlords and apartment buildings, the wildlife rules that catch many homeowners out, and what private pest control typically costs. We are a comparison and referral service, not a pest control company.

Pest problems Toronto’s own rules deal with

Bed bugs in rented homes

Toronto’s 311 guidance on bed bugs in a rental unit says treatment by a licensed pest control operator is the responsibility of the landlord or property management, while preparing the unit for treatment is the tenant’s job. The first step is to tell your landlord or property manager and submit a service request. If the problem is not dealt with in reasonable time, contact 311. The same guidance says property management cannot delay treatment after a service request or a 311 complaint, and that vulnerable tenants can contact Toronto Public Health to file a complaint. Toronto Public Health’s own bed bug page says bed bugs are not considered a health hazard, and points to Health Canada for treatment advice. Our guide to bed bugs in Canada summarises what Health Canada says.

Pests in apartment buildings (RentSafeTO)

RentSafeTO is the City’s apartment building standards programme. It applies to apartment buildings with three or more storeys and ten or more units. Under it, landlords must keep units free of pests such as ants, cockroaches, bed bugs, spiders, mice and rats. Once they are aware of pests, they must:

• take measures to eliminate the pests and stop them spreading to other parts of the building;
• inspect common areas at least once every 30 days, and any area of the property within 72 hours of getting information about pests;
• hire a professional pest control company licensed by the Ministry of the Environment, if required;
• keep pest management records and post them on the tenant notification board.

The City also says a unit cannot be rented while pests are present in it.

Raccoons, squirrels and other wildlife

Toronto’s raccoons are famous, but the City does not remove healthy wildlife from your home. Its wildlife trapping page says property owners can use a humane trap or hire a wildlife agent once deterrents have failed, and that Toronto Animal Services staff are not licensed trappers and do not provide or rent traps. Provincial rules apply to anyone trapping: captured animals must be released within 24 hours and within 1 kilometre of where they were caught, and the den of a furbearing mammal cannot be destroyed without approval from the Ministry of Natural Resources (fox and skunk dens excepted). Using body-gripping traps or poison can lead to charges. The City’s raccoon page recommends checking that no young are left inside, especially between March and July, before any opening is sealed.

What the City does and does not do

Situation	Who handles it	Charge
Pests in a rental unit the landlord will not deal with	311 (property standards complaint)	No fee listed by the City
Pests in a RentSafeTO apartment building	Landlord first, then 311	No fee listed by the City
Bed bug complaint by a vulnerable tenant	Toronto Public Health	No fee listed by the City
Wildlife trapped in a structure, dangerous wildlife, or bees and wasps in a City park	311 service request	No fee listed by the City
Raccoons, squirrels or skunks on or in your own property	You, or a private wildlife agent	Private cost
Mice, cockroaches, ants, wasps or bed bugs in a home you own	You, or a private pest control company	Private cost

Toronto does not publish a fee list for pest treatment because it does not offer a treatment service for private homes.

What pest control costs in Toronto

HomeStars reported an average pest and animal control job cost of $617 in Toronto (lowest $100, highest $50,000), based on reviews collected across all job types. Its 2026 guides also say the same work can cost $200 to $300 more in Toronto or Vancouver than in a mid-sized city, and that a mouse job running $300 to $400 elsewhere can run $450 to $650 in Toronto. National ranges by pest:

Pest	Reported typical range (CAD)	What it usually covers
Mice	$250 to $650	Standard package, 2-3 visits
Rats	$300 to $750	Standard rat job
Bed bugs (chemical)	$400 to $1,000	Usually at least two visits
Bed bugs (heat)	$1,200 to $4,000+	Often one session
Cockroaches	$150 to $400	Single treatment
Wasp or hornet nest	$150 to $350	Per visit
Ants and general insects	$150 to $350	Per visit
Squirrels, raccoons (wildlife removal)	$200 to $600	Per job

Source: HomeStars 2026 cost guides (homestars.com), updated August 2026. Checked September 2026. Reported typical ranges, not quotes.

Full details and sources are on our Canada pest control costs page.

Tell us what you are dealing with and we will look for a pest control business covering your area. You can use the form below or our quote request page.

Renting in Toronto: who is responsible

Toronto’s Property Standards by-law (Municipal Code Chapter 629, Section 9) says all properties must be kept free of pests, including rodents and insects. Section 22 requires garbage to be stored in lidded containers that help keep rodents and other pests out. For tenants, the practical order is:

1. Tell your landlord or property manager, ideally in writing, and keep a copy.
2. Follow the pest control company’s preparation instructions (see preparing for a pest control visit).
3. If nothing happens in reasonable time, contact 311 so the City can investigate.
4. Disagreements about repairs or rent under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 go to the Landlord and Tenant Board.

If you rent a room in a multi-tenant (rooming) house, the City asks you to talk to your landlord first and contact 311 if problems such as pests persist.

How to choose a pest control company in Toronto

Pest control in Ontario is licensed by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) under the Pesticides Act. A business that runs a pest control operation or employs people who apply pesticides commercially needs an operator licence, which is renewed every year and requires the applicant to carry insurance. The people applying products need an exterminator licence (structural, land or water). You can search operator licences issued since September 2018 on the province’s Access Environment registry.

The Structural Pest Management Association of Ontario (SPMAO) is the provincial trade body. Membership is not a licence, so check the licence as well. Questions to ask:

• What is the operator licence number, and who will actually do the work?
• How many visits are included, and what does a return visit cost?
• Is sealing of entry points (exclusion) included for mice or rats?
• For bed bugs in an apartment, will neighbouring units be inspected?
• For wildlife, how will you check for young before sealing the entry?

Our guide to choosing a pest controller goes into more detail. Outdoors, Ontario’s cosmetic pesticide rules also limit what can be used on lawns and gardens; see cosmetic pesticide rules in Ontario.

Pest control businesses in Toronto

These businesses appear in public business listings for Toronto. We have not checked their licences, insurance or work, and they have not paid to appear. Always confirm the MECP operator licence yourself.

Frequently asked questions

Does the City of Toronto do pest control?

Not inside private homes. The City takes complaints through 311 when landlords do not deal with pests, runs the RentSafeTO programme for apartment buildings, and handles some wildlife issues in City parks. Treatment in your home is arranged privately or, for tenants, by the landlord.

Who pays for bed bug treatment in a Toronto rental?

Toronto’s 311 guidance says treatment by a licensed pest control operator is the landlord’s or property manager’s responsibility, and unit preparation is the tenant’s.

Will Toronto Animal Services remove a raccoon from my roof?

The City’s trapping guidance says property owners can trap humanely or hire a wildlife agent, and that Toronto Animal Services staff are not licensed trappers and do not provide or rent traps. Call 311 about wildlife that is trapped in a structure or behaving dangerously.

How can I check a Toronto pest control company’s licence?

Ask for its MECP operator licence number and search the province’s Access Environment registry, which lists operator licences issued since September 2018.

How much does pest control cost in Toronto?

HomeStars reported an average job cost of $617 in Toronto across all pest types. National ranges run from about $150 for a single insect visit to $4,000+ for bed bug heat treatment.

Sources

• Report a concern about bed bugs in a rental unit, 311 Toronto, City of Toronto (toronto.ca)
• Bed Bugs, Toronto Public Health, City of Toronto (toronto.ca)
• RentSafeTO: Apartment Building Standards and Building Owner Requirements, City of Toronto (toronto.ca)
• Housing Property Standards and Property Standards (Municipal Code Chapter 629), City of Toronto (toronto.ca)
• Wildlife Trapping and Raccoons, City of Toronto (toronto.ca)
• Pesticide licences and permits, Government of Ontario (ontario.ca)
• Structural Pest Management Association of Ontario (spmao.ca)
• Guide To Pest & Animal Control Contractor Costs & Estimates in Canada, HomeStars (homestars.com)
• Exterminator Cost in Canada and Mouse Exterminator Cost in Canada: 2026 Guides, HomeStars (homestars.com)

Last checked: September 2026.