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

Quick answer

Calgary has no resident rat population thanks to Alberta’s Rat Control Program, so a suspected rat should be reported to the province on 310-FARM. The City handles mosquito larviciding and some wildlife calls through 311, but mice, wasps, squirrels and similar pests on private property are for a private company. HomeStars reviewers in Calgary reported an average job cost of $825.

This guide covers the pest questions that are genuinely different in Calgary: rats, which are handled by the province; what the City does about mosquitoes, wasps and wildlife; who is responsible in a rented home; and what private pest control typically costs. We are a comparison and referral service, not a pest control company.

Rats in Calgary: why Alberta is “rat-free”

Alberta says it has been rat-free since 1950, when its Rat Control Program was set up. According to the province’s history of the programme, Norway rats were first found on a farm near Alsask, on the Saskatchewan border, in the summer of 1950, and rats were declared a pest under the Agricultural Pests Act the same year. Since the early 1950s Alberta has kept a Rat Control Zone about 600 km long and 29 km wide along the eastern border, from Cold Lake to the Montana border, where municipal pest control inspectors check farms and buildings.

Rat-free does not mean a rat never turns up. The province says small infestations occasionally occur and are eradicated when found. Calgary has seen exactly that: in November 2023 CBC News reported Norway rat infestations at two Calgary recycling facilities in the southeast of the city, which the province monitored and baited. The province’s rat specialist told CBC that Alberta counts an infestation as more than one rat. In September 2026, CTV News reported that a dead rat found in Bowden, about an hour north of Calgary, was handed to the province’s rat patrol.

What to do if you think you have seen a rat

Safely take a photo, note the location and send the details to the province: call 310-FARM (3276) toll-free in Alberta, or contact your local municipal agricultural fieldman office. Alberta lists hours of 8:15 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday.
Do not assume it is a rat: most rodent problems in Calgary homes are mice. Our guides to signs of mice and signs of rats explain the differences in droppings and damage.
Pet rats are illegal in Alberta, according to the province.

What the City of Calgary does

Mosquitoes

The City traps mosquitoes to estimate numbers and, when populations are high enough, makes aerial or ground applications of a product that controls mosquito larvae, typically in late spring or early summer after heavy rain. It uses a bacterial product that is activated only when eaten by mosquitoes or closely related flies, registered by the federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Most Calgary mosquitoes breed in temporary pools such as snowmelt pools, ditches and puddles; storm ponds are not a significant source. Homeowners are asked to empty standing water, bird baths and rain barrels regularly.

Wasps and nuisance wildlife

The City’s pests page lists wasps and mosquitoes as frequent visitors. Its wildlife page is direct about private property: contact your local pest control company if you have concerns about bats, crows, gophers, magpies, mice, moles, pigeons, porcupines, rabbits, raccoons, seagulls, skunks, squirrels or wasps on your property. (The native white-tailed jackrabbit is provincially protected.) Coyote concerns and non-emergency wildlife sightings go to 311; bears, moose and cougars go to Alberta Fish and Wildlife; immediate danger goes to 911.

Situation	Who handles it	Charge
Suspected rat	Alberta Rat Control Program (310-FARM)	No fee listed by the province
Mosquito larvae control on public land	City of Calgary	City programme
Coyotes, non-emergency wildlife sightings	311	No fee listed by the City
Mice, wasps, squirrels, pigeons, skunks on your property	Private pest control company	Private cost
Pests in a rented home the landlord will not deal with	Alberta Health Services, Environmental Public Health (Health Link 811)	No fee listed

What pest control costs in Calgary

HomeStars reported an average pest and animal control job cost of $825 in Calgary (lowest $100, highest $8,250), based on reviews across all job types. 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.

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We are a comparison and referral service, not a pest control company. We do not guarantee a quote, a price or a response time. If there is an immediate risk to health or safety, contact the relevant emergency service.

Renting in Calgary: who is responsible

The Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta (CPLEA) explains that under Alberta’s Minimum Housing and Health Standards the landlord must make sure a rental property is free of insect and rodent infestations. The tenant must keep the property reasonably clean, allow entry for pest control treatment and follow the exterminator’s instructions. If you rent:

Tell your landlord about the problem in writing.
If the landlord ignores it, contact Alberta Health Services Environmental Public Health, or call Health Link on 811 to speak to a health inspector.
A health inspector can investigate and has the power to order the landlord to deal with it.

See also our guides to pests in a rented home and preparing for a pest control visit.

How to choose a pest control company in Calgary

In Alberta, any business advertising or providing a pesticide service must hold a pesticide service registration from the province, and the registration is cancelled if the business does not employ a certified applicator with the right class of certificate for the service it offers. Applicator certificates are issued by class (structural pest control is one) and must be renewed, usually every five years. Ask to see both. Other useful questions:

What is your pesticide service registration, and which certified applicator will do the work?
For mice, is sealing entry points included, or only trapping?
For wasps, is a return visit included if the nest is still active?
For squirrels or skunks, how will you check for young before sealing an entry?

More in our guide to choosing a pest controller and wasp or hornet nests near your home.

Pest control businesses in Calgary

These businesses appear in public business listings for Calgary. We have not checked their registrations, insurance or work, and they have not paid to appear. Always confirm the provincial pesticide service registration yourself.