Recent monitoring has shown an increased presence of blacklegged ticks (also known as deer ticks) across the Greater Toronto Area and within Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) jurisdictions. Some ticks have already tested positive for the Lyme disease bacteria (B. burgdorferi), suggesting blacklegged ticks and Lyme disease have become established in our region.
To protect yourself when you go out into the woods, be sure to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts, apply insect repellent, and when you return home, check yourself and pets for ticks.
Generally, ticks are not usually found in open spaces such as mowed lawns, sports fields or paved areas, preferring wooded, bushy locations with a lot of leaves on the ground and tall grass instead.
For more information, visit the Province of Ontario’s Lyme disease page or your regional public health website.