Canada facing wave of ticks from U.S. this summer, warns first private testing lab
A surge of tick populations migrating north from the United States is expected to dramatically increase Lyme disease risk across Canada this summer, say public health officials.
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A wave of ticks from the United States is expected to hit Canada this summer, dramatically increasing the threat of Lyme disease—and experts warn this may become the new normal.
The warning comes from Justin Wood, founder of Geneticks, Canada's first private tick testing laboratory. Ticks are small parasites that burrow into skin and pose significant risk of Lyme disease, a condition that can cause long-term joint pain, neurological issues, and fatigue if left untreated.
Parents and pet owners have long viewed tick season as a summer concern, but the influx from the south is expected to worsen conditions this year. The migration reflects warming temperatures and changing ecosystems that favour tick survival and reproduction across wider geographic ranges. Environment Canada and public health agencies across the country have begun issuing guidance on prevention and tick checks.
