Ticks are more than just an icky pest. Tick bites can cause serious health issues in animals and humans. While it’s still cold here in the 705, ticks are already becoming active.
March is National Tick Awareness Month in Canada. The initiative was spearheaded by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association to educate pet owners as ticks become active above freezing temperatures. The 2026 campaign, “When You Can’t Predict, Protect,” emphasizes year-round vigilance, daily tick checks, and using veterinary-approved preventatives to combat the rising risk of ticks and Lyme disease.
“I think we can all agree that the situation with ticks has changed dramatically in the last 10 years,” stresses CVMA president, Dr. Tracy Fisher on the CVMA website. “And it feels like every year there are more ticks in more places, and new diseases to consider and educate clients about. We know that the Ixodes scapularis is active when temperatures are 4oC and above, but when we’re living in a climate that can’t seem to make up its mind, and ticks keep expanding their range so fast, it’s hard to accurately predict when a pet needs tick protection.”
Ticks are often found in and near areas with:
- trees
- shrubs
- grass
- wood piles
- piles of leaves
On January 16, 2026, the Government of Canada published data collected between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024 regarding tick-borne illnesses. Most cases were reported in Ontario (41%), Nova Scotia (40%), and Quebec (14%), consistent with previous years.
There are several types of ticks found in Canada. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit monitors tick populations and human cases of Lyme disease in Simcoe and Muskoka and have confirmed that Blacklegged ticks are present in the region. Locally acquired blacklegged ticks have tested positive for the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
A recent study by the National Library Of Medicine showed that blacklegged ticks infected with the Lyme disease causing bacteria are more likely to survive winter temperatures and are the first ones to “wake up” on warmer days during cooler months – even when there’s still snow on the ground. Adult blacklegged ticks begin looking for a host to feed on when the temperature is 4 degrees Celsius or above. The immature stage of the blacklegged tick, which become active in late spring, continue to be active throughout the summer season.
Blacklegged ticks are small. They range in size from a poppy seed to a pea (1-5 mm). A tick’s size depends on its life stage (larva, nymph, adult), whether it has fed recently, and how long it has fed. If a tick has been attached to the skin for a few days, it can swell and appear brown or grey. If a swollen tick is on your skin, it may appear as a new skin tag or pimple.
Here are some tips to make your environment less tick friendly:
- Keep grass mowed and trimmed.
- Remove leaf litter, brush, and weeds from the edge of the lawn, around stonewalls and woodpiles, and from lawn ornaments (e.g. wheelbarrow, play structures, statues, gutters, etc.).
- Move woodpiles and bird feeders away from the house.
- Move children’s play structures (swing set, sandboxes) and patios away from property edges with overgrown areas or forests.
- Use woodchips or stone to separate forested, overgrown areas and tall grass from the rest of your lawn.
- Discourage deer, rodents, and birds from your yard through the use of barriers (i.e. BBQ, bird feeders, etc.). Ticks feed on deer, rodents, and birds, and can be carried into your property by these animals.
There’s currently no vaccine to prevent Lyme disease, so prevention is essential.
Before you go in areas where ticks can be found:
- wear closed-toe shoes
- tuck your shirt into your pants, and your pants into your socks
- wear permethrin-treated clothing (always follow label directions)
- wear light coloured, long-sleeved shirts and pants to spot ticks easily
- apply insect repellent containing DEET or Icaridin to clothing and exposed skin (always follow label directions)
While you’re outdoors:
- walk on cleared paths or trails
- keep children and pets from wandering off paths
- avoid using trails created by animals (such as deer and moose), as ticks are often found on the grass and plants along these trails
- Activities where you are more likely to be in a tick habitat and at a higher risk of getting a tick bite include outdoor occupations, biking (mountain or trail biking), hiking, golfing, hunting, camping, gardening, birdwatching, fishing (from land)
Before you return indoors:
- check yourself and your clothing
- check your outdoor gear, such as backpacks
- inspect your pets as they can bring ticks into your home
How to check for ticks on your pet
Step 1: Starting at your pet’s head, use your fingers like a comb and run your hands over your pet’s body. You are feeling for lumps or bumps you previously did not notice. Make sure to check under your pet’s collar, inside the groin area, and under your pet’s front legs. It’s also important to examine under your pet’s tail and between his toes.
Step 2: Check your pet’s ears thoroughly looking inside and out.
Removing a tick as soon as you spot it can reduce the chances of disease transmission. Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to carefully grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible. Do not use your fingers and avoid squeezing the tick’s body as this can accidentally release the Lyme disease-causing bacterium into the body. Do not try to burn the tick or put anything on the tick in efforts to remove it. If part of the tick remains in the skin, remove it with tweezers. If you are uncomfortable removing a tick or cannot remove the tick because it has buried itself deep into the skin, seek assistance from your health care provider.
To look for tick activity in your area head to tickmaps.ca.
