Ticks are spreading across Ontario — from cottage trails to downtown parks — and the province has no plan to protect us.

Lyme disease and tick-borne infections are rising rapidly, especially in high-risk regions like Prince Edward County and Muskoka. Yet government tick maps and risk alerts haven’t been meaningfully updated in years, and there is no coordinated public health strategy in place.

Nymph-stage ticks — which are most likely to transmit Lyme — are the size of a poppyseed and nearly invisible to the naked eye. They can latch on without being noticed, even when people are sitting on a deck or walking on short grass.

Some quick stats:

•  Canada saw 5,239 Lyme disease cases in 2024, up from just 144 in 2009 (and these are just documented ones). This is a 35x increase in under two decades.
• Ontario accounts for the majority, with 1,478 confirmed cases in 2022 alone — nearly triple the average from a decade ago.  Prince Edward County is officially “very high risk” — ~19.7% of tested ticks carry Lyme. Simcoe-Muskoka has an expanding tick population with rising Lyme incidence.
• Ticks are now being found in downtown Toronto, with 35–44% of drag-sampled ticks testing positive for Lyme in 2023–2024.
• Blacklegged ticks are expanding ~50 km northward per year, driven by climate change.
• June and July are peak danger months, with 73% of cases occurring in summer especially during the nymph stage, when ticks are nearly invisible. Despite that, there is no systemic plan for outdoor safety or education.

Tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease can be life-altering. Early symptoms are often vague: fatigue, joint pain, brain fog, etc. Many people are misdiagnosed or dismissed if they don’t have the classic bullseye rash. If untreated or caught too late, Lyme can lead to chronic pain, neurological issues, autoimmune complications, and long-term disability.

There is no guaranteed cure for late-stage Lyme, and treatment options are limited in Canada. Patients often face a confusing, expensive, and isolating medical journey, with little support.

And Lyme isn’t the only threat. Ticks in Ontario can also transmit other serious diseases, many of which have no obvious rash or early warning signs:

Anaplasmosis – fever, chills, muscle aches
Babesiosis – malaria-like infection that can cause anemia
Powassan Virus – a rare but severe virus that can infect the brain and nervous system within minutes of a bite
Borrelia miyamotoi – related to Lyme, but harder to detect
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and other rare rickettsial infections

Some of these diseases can be life-threatening, and many lack reliable treatments in Canada. Most people don’t even know they exist until it’s too late — making prevention and public awareness even more critical.

As ordinary Ontarians, we are expected to carry the full burden:

- Do our own research
- Track local tick activity (often through outdated PDFs)
- Apply DEET, check our bodies nightly, avoid the outdoors — even while trying to relax on decks or beaches

At the same time, many physicians still rely on outdated medical criteria, often dismissing Lyme disease if there’s no bullseye rash. This leads to missed diagnoses and preventable suffering.

We’re calling on the Government of Ontario and Public Health Ontario to:

1. Update Lyme disease risk maps and alerts using real-time, regional data
   Implement ecologically safe tick control — including selective spraying in high-risk parks, trails, and cottage areas during peak season
2. Deploy tick-targeting tools, such as bait boxes and tick tubes, in parks, ravines, and green corridors to disrupt the tick-mouse cycle
3. Protect natural predators (like foxes and birds) that help control rodent populations
4. Improve landscaping in public spaces: cut grass short, add wood chip/gravel borders, and install signage with QR codes for live alerts
5. Launch a province-wide education campaign on tick prevention, symptoms, and early treatment
6. Provide free or subsidized prevention kits (DEET spray, permethrin-treated clothing, tick removal cards) at pharmacies and community centres
7. Mandate updated physician training on diagnosing tick-borne illnesses, including those that present without a rash

8. Expanded OHIP coverage for testing, diagnosis, and care for people affected by tick-borne disease

   Many patients in Ontario are forced to pay out of pocket for U.S. testing just to get answers — because Canadian tests often miss cases in the early stages. While the U.S. has multiple specialized labs offering advanced tick-borne illness panels, Canadians are left navigating confusing, outdated diagnostics with limited support. This creates a two-tiered system where only those who can afford it get proper care.

We deserve to feel safe in our own province, not left to manage a growing health threat alone. This is about prevention, awareness, and equity. Please sign and help us demand action before more people are affected.