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

This guide covers the City of Ottawa’s pest rules for rental housing, what Ottawa Public Health advises on bed bugs and rats, the 311 route, and what private pest control typically costs. We are a comparison and referral service, not a pest control company.

Ottawa’s rental pest rules

Ottawa’s Rental Housing Property Management By-law (By-law No. 2020-255) sets minimum standards for landlords and property managers, and Sections 29 to 39 deal with pest control. The City’s tenant information page summarises the split.

Landlords must

• treat pest infestations;
• establish and maintain an integrated pest management plan, including preventive inspections;
• prevent conditions that may attract or harbour pests;
• give tenants educational information on preventing pests;
• set up a way for tenants to report suspected infestations;
• give tenants a copy of the pest treatment plan before treating an infestation in their unit.

The by-law also says a landlord must hand over the integrated pest management plan, and any pest treatment plan, to a by-law officer on request.

Tenants must

• not cause conditions that may attract or harbour pests;
• follow the pest treatment plan;
• treat fleas, lice or ticks on their own pets.

Tenants report an infestation, a suspected infestation, or conditions likely to cause one by submitting a tenant service request to the landlord.

What Ottawa Public Health says

Bed bugs

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) tells tenants to notify the landlord, superintendent or property manager, verbally or in writing, as soon as they find bed bugs. It says it is the landlord’s responsibility to keep the unit fit for habitation, that tenants should cooperate, and that tenants should allow a reasonable amount of time because more than one treatment may be needed. If the infestation is not resolved, OPH says to call 3-1-1 and report it to Bylaw and Regulatory Services (Property Standards). For landlords, OPH lists using licensed pest control services and sealing cracks between baseboards, floors and walls. See also our guide to bed bugs in Canada.

Rats

OPH’s rat control page sets out five steps (look for evidence, clean up, starve them, shut them out, wipe them out), reproduced with permission from the New York City Health Department. Its practical points include:

• rat burrows are typically 2.5 to 10 cm wide with smooth edges, often under bushes, with an entrance and exit;
• rats can squeeze through cracks and holes as small as 1.25 cm, so sealing gaps in foundations, walls, doors and vents is the lasting fix;
• rodent baiting is “a job for professionals”, and any pesticide should carry a Pest Control Products (PCP) number showing Health Canada approval;
• OPH provides an inspection form tenants can give to a landlord or pest management professional.

Our guide to signs of rats in a home covers what to record before a visit.

What the City does and does not do

Situation	Who handles it	Charge
Pests in a rental unit the landlord has not resolved	311, Bylaw and Regulatory Services (Property Standards)	No fee listed by the City
Landlord has no pest management plan or treatment plan	311, by-law officer (Rental Housing Property Management By-law)	No fee listed by the City
Rent or repair dispute under the Residential Tenancies Act, 2006	Landlord and Tenant Board (1-888-332-3234)	Set by the Board
Pests in a home you own	You, or a private pest control company	Private cost

Ottawa does not publish a pest treatment fee list because it does not run a treatment service for private homes.

What pest control costs in Ottawa

HomeStars reported an average pest and animal control job cost of $695 in Ottawa (lowest $100, highest $50,000), 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.

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 Ottawa: the steps

1. Report the problem to your landlord through their tenant service request process, and keep a record.
2. Ask for the pest treatment plan before treatment in your unit; the by-law requires the landlord to provide it.
3. Prepare the unit as instructed (see preparing for a pest control visit).
4. If the problem is not resolved in reasonable time, call 311.
5. For disputes about repairs or costs, the City points to Section 20 of Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act, 2006 and the Landlord and Tenant Board.

See also our general guide to pests in a rented home.

How to choose a pest control company in Ottawa

Ottawa companies are licensed by Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. A business that runs a pest control operation or employs people who apply pesticides commercially needs an annual operator licence and insurance, and the technicians need an exterminator licence. Operator licences issued since September 2018 can be searched 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.

OPH suggests asking neighbours for referrals, looking for companies offering integrated pest management (which are more likely to inspect, monitor and recommend repairs), interviewing more than one company and asking for references. Other useful questions:

• What is your MECP operator licence number?
• How many visits are included, and what does a follow-up cost?
• Will you seal entry points, or only bait or spray?
• For a rental, can you give the landlord a written treatment plan to pass to tenants?

More in our guide to choosing a pest controller.

Pest control businesses in Ottawa

These businesses appear in public business listings for Ottawa. 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

Is my Ottawa landlord responsible for pest control?

Yes. The City’s Rental Housing Property Management By-law makes the landlord responsible for treating infestations and for keeping an integrated pest management plan. Tenants must not create conditions that attract pests, must follow the treatment plan and must treat fleas, lice or ticks on their own pets.

Who do I call in Ottawa if bed bugs are not dealt with?

Ottawa Public Health says to call 3-1-1 and report it to Bylaw and Regulatory Services (Property Standards) if the infestation is unresolved after telling your landlord.

Can I put down rat poison myself?

Ottawa Public Health describes rodent baiting as a job for professionals and says any product should carry a Health Canada PCP number and be used exactly as the label says.

How much does pest control cost in Ottawa?

HomeStars reported an average job cost of $695 in Ottawa across all pest types. National ranges run from about $150 for a single insect visit to $4,000+ for bed bug heat treatment.

How do I check an Ottawa pest control company’s licence?

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

Sources

• Pest infestations, Tenants: rights and responsibilities, City of Ottawa (ottawa.ca)
• Rental Housing Property Management By-law (By-law No. 2020-255), City of Ottawa (ottawa.ca)
• Bed Bugs, Ottawa Public Health (ottawapublichealth.ca)
• Rat Control, Ottawa Public Health (ottawapublichealth.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: A 2026 Guide, HomeStars (homestars.com)

Last checked: September 2026.