Ticks Are Becoming More Prevalent In Canada. Here’s How To Protect Yourself

Warmer, milder winters caused by climate change are giving a leg up to ticks and the handful of miserable diseases that the creatures can transmit when they attach to your skin. That includes Lyme disease, which is on the rise in Canada thanks to the black-legged tick.

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, case rates of Lyme disease have surged from nearly 1,000 annual reported cases in 2015 to more than 7,000 in 2025. (There have already been 165 Lyme disease cases this year in Ontario alone, according to Public Health Ontario.) That’s not to mention the other bacterial diseases ticks can carry, like anaplasmosis and babesiosis, that can make you feel terrible and require treatment.

This summer is already proving to be tick-ier than usual. Provincial public health agencies across Canada are advising people to be tick-conscious—not just in the woods or in rural areas, but when walking in and around long grasses or bushy areas, too. (Ticks can travel on the bodies of migratory birds, so they can even air drop into your local park.)

You can protect yourself in areas where ticks are likely to be found by applying insect repellent, wearing light, long-sleeved clothing, and performing tick checks on your body after walks or hikes.

But what do you do if you find a tick on your body? Here’s everything you need to know.

If the tick is on you and it hasn’t attached, give it a flick off your skin

Not sure what a tick looks like? This handy graphic from etick.ca provides full details.

“A tick is going to walk on you before it actually attaches,” explains Janet Sperling, an Alberta-based entomologist and president of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation, a charity that advocates for awareness and research into the disease.  

Unlike a mosquito, a tick takes a little stroll on your skin first, she says, which gives you a chance to spot it—and some precious time to flick it off before it bites.

The only caveat: you need to be paying attention. If you feel a little tickle on your arm or leg, or spot some movement out of the corner of your eye, don’t dismiss it.

If the tick is attached, remove it immediately

Speedy removal is your friend when it comes to ticks, as it can reduce the risk of infection significantly. That’s why it’s not a bad idea to splash out on a tick removal kit (they cost anywhere from $5 to $20), or make one yourself that you can pop in your bag. All you need is tweezers, a baggie and alcohol wipes.

If the tick is attached, remove it with fine-pointed tweezers or a tick scoop, says Sperling. Though it’s tempting to get rid of the tick, Sperling advises people keep it in case there's need for testing. Pop it in a plastic bag or tube (some tick removal kits contain small plastic containers for discarded ticks); you can store it in the freezer afterward if necessary.

After you’ve removed the tick, you want to wash the bite area with soap and water or an alcohol wipe. “That’s because our skin has bacteria, too, and you just want to make sure everything is as clean as it can be,” says Sperling.

Watch and wait

After you’ve removed the tick and cleaned the site, you will want to watch the site of the attachment for up to 30 days, says Sperling. In many cases, Lyme disease can present with a bullseye shaped or ring rash around the site of the attachment.

If you see a rash developing around the site of the tick attachment or start to feel unwell—including developing fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes and muscle and joint soreness—you should see a doctor. And don’t wait it out: Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics, but it’s important to be treated sooner rather than later.