Pest Control in North Vancouver, BC
Phantom Pest Control is a licensed pest control and exterminator service for homes, strata buildings and businesses across the City and the District of North Vancouver, from the Lonsdale waterfront to the forest edge in Lynn Valley and Deep Cove.
- Fully licensed, insured and certified
- Read our Google reviews
- Shoreline
- City–District line
- Creeks and rivers
- Parks and forest
- Serves
- The City and the District of North VancouverTwo municipalities, each with its own bylaws
- Common pests
- Rats and mice, carpenter ants, wasps and wildlifeAlso European fire ants and chafer beetles
- Health authority
- Vancouver Coastal HealthInspects North Shore food premises
- Hours
- Office: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Service: open 24/7 for pre-arranged services
Where Pests Come From in North Vancouver
North Vancouver runs from the working waterfront on Burrard Inlet, up through Lonsdale’s apartment buildings and wooded creek ravines, to houses that back onto the mountain forest. Each of those places draws different pests.
- A
Lower Lonsdale and the waterfront
The Shipyards, Lower Lonsdale and the industrial shore east to Maplewood
The City-run Shipyards, restaurants and food businesses share the shoreline with the working port, and industry lines the District’s waterfront to the east. Vancouver Coastal Health names rodents, cockroaches, flies and birds as the most common pests in food premises, and asks that pest control reports stay on site for at least three months.
Pests to watch here
- B
Lonsdale’s apartment buildings
Central and Upper Lonsdale, along the Lonsdale Avenue spine
Apartments made up 67% of the City’s homes in 2021, and nearly half of City residents rent. In buildings like these, bed bugs and German cockroaches move between suites along shared walls and pipes, so a report from one suite means checking the suites around it. City Bylaw 6920 also requires garbage enclosures that keep out animals and rodents. In August 2023 a City contractor set snap traps for rats in Victoria Park, on Lonsdale.
Pests to watch here
- C
The creek ravines
Mosquito, Mackay, Mission and Wagg creeks in the City; Lynn Creek, Hastings Creek and the Seymour River in the District
Ravine parks carry forest cover and water deep into town. Norway rats burrow at ground level and favour damp crawl spaces, while roof rats climb trees and nest in attics. Mice fit through a dime-sized gap and rats through a quarter-sized one, so sealing openings over 6 mm is the lasting fix.
Pests to watch here
- D
Older streets, lawns and gardens
Upper Lonsdale, Lynn Valley, Edgemont and the District’s other house-lined streets
Single-family houses make up 49% of District homes, and carpenter ants favour moist, decaying wood; our post on carpenter ants in walls lists the warning signs. The slopes are wet: 1981–2010 normals average 1,725 mm of precipitation a year at the waterfront and about 2,400 mm at 157 m. Lawns add two invasive pests. European chafer grubs draw crows, skunks and raccoons to dig, and European fire ants were confirmed in the City’s Tempe Heights Park in 2014.
Pests to watch here
- E
The forest edge
Deep Cove, Seymour, Lynn Valley and the slopes below Grouse and Lynn Headwaters
From spring until late fall, bears come down into North Shore neighbourhoods, mostly in the upper District. District Bylaw 8436 requires wildlife attractants kept outdoors to be in wildlife-resistant containers, and the North Shore Black Bear Society asks District residents to remove rodent bait boxes, because bears break them open. Raccoons and squirrels in attics, crawl spaces and under decks are wildlife and exclusion work.
Pests to watch here
Who Handles What in North Vancouver
Phantom treats pests on private property. The Province handles wildlife that threatens people, and each municipality sets its own garbage, rodent and demolition rules.
| If you have | Who handles it | What to know |
|---|---|---|
A bear, cougar or coyote threatening people | BC Conservation Officer Service: 1-877-952-7277 | The City adds: call the RCMP at 911 if a bear is threatening, persistent or aggressive. Report bear sightings to the North Shore bear line, 604-990-BEAR (2327). Source: Province of B.C., City of North Vancouver |
Raccoons or skunks damaging your property | A licensed pest control company | Conservation officers don’t attend these conflicts. The Province points people to a licensed pest control company, and the City doesn’t relocate wildlife from private property. Source: Province of B.C., City of North Vancouver |
Rats or mice on your property | The owner or occupier, under the City’s Rodent Control Bylaw 5899 or the District’s Bylaw 6040 | Both bar conditions that shelter or feed rodents, and require buildings and drains kept so rodents can’t get in. The Medical Health Officer can order the work; City bylaw notices are $200. Source: City Bylaw 5899, District Bylaw 6040 |
Garbage, fruit or bird feeders drawing wildlife | The District or the City, under their solid waste bylaws | In both, carts go out between 5:30 and 7:30 a.m. on collection day and come in by 9 p.m. In the District, attractants kept outside a wildlife-resistant container bring a $300 ticket, and fallen fruit left on the ground $250. Source: District Bylaw 8436, City Bylaw 6920 |
A house about to be demolished | The City or the District, with a licensed pest control company | The City asks for a rodent and avian pest control plan, then a follow-up letter within 30 days. The District may require a pest control report before the permit. See rodent abatement before demolition. Source: City checklist, District Bylaw 8271 |
When Pests Peak in North Vancouver
Some North Vancouver pests follow the calendar and some don’t. The months come from the seasons Phantom publishes on each pest page, and from the City’s chafer calendar.
Ants
March to August
Swarms of winged carpenter ants trying to get outdoors, usually in spring, mean a colony is nesting inside.
Wasps
May to September
Nests grow all summer and are at their biggest in late summer and early fall.
Rats & mice
October to March
November to January are the wettest months on the waterfront, and cold, wet weather drives rodents into crawl spaces and garages.
Wildlife
March to May
Raccoons have their young in spring, and squirrels raise two litters a year, so an attic can hold young more than once.
Chafer beetles
October to March
Crows, skunks and raccoons dig up lawns for the grubs; nematodes go on in late July.
Not seasonal
Bed bugs
They travel with people and belongings, so they turn up in any month.
Cockroaches
German cockroaches live indoors around kitchens and pipes, so there’s no off-season.
European fire ants
Colonies live underground all year; Metro Vancouver’s guide says treatment can be done any time except winter.
Neighbourhoods We Serve in North Vancouver
We work in both municipalities: the City’s nine census neighbourhoods and the District’s eight community areas, from Lions Gate to Deep Cove.
City of North Vancouver
- Lower Lonsdale
- Central Lonsdale
- Moodyville
- Grand Boulevard
- Westview
- Cedar Village
- Mahon
- Marine-Hamilton
- Tempe
District of North Vancouver
- Lions Gate / Lower Capilano
- Upper Capilano
- Delbrook / Upper Lonsdale
- Lynn Valley
- Lynn Creek
- Maplewood
- Seymour
- Deep Cove
Nearby service areas
Not on the list? Call 604-771-0404 and the office will confirm.
What Pest Control Costs in North Vancouver, and How a Visit Works
These are the inspection fees we publish for North Vancouver homes and businesses, and the four steps a visit follows.
Inspection fees
- House
- $150 + GST
- Condo, apartment or townhouse
- $125 + GST
- Attic or crawl space
- + $50
- Waived if the service is booked on the same day.
- Commercial site inspection
- Free
- Estimate over the phone
- Free
Treatment prices for each pest
Describe the problem by phone
Call 604-771-0404 on a weekday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The estimate costs nothing.
An inspection where one is needed
The technician identifies the pest and finds how it gets in.
Get ready with the preparation sheet
For bed bug and cockroach treatments, the preparation sheets ask everyone to stay out for at least 6 to 8 hours. The bed bug sheet extends that to 24 hours for infants under 2, pregnant or nursing mothers, people with respiratory or immune conditions, and pets; the cockroach sheet lists its own group. The sheets are on the client forms page.
Treatment, then the weeks after
A few pests for a while after treatment is normal. Past the time on your sheet, call us.
Pest Control for North Vancouver Homes and Businesses
Each page below explains how the work runs for one kind of property.
For homes
Single-family and laneway homes
Older houses under tall trees on the District’s slopes.
Your own suite in a Lonsdale building.
Crawl spaces and attics where rodents and wildlife get in.
Rodent abatement before demolition
The plan, letter or report the City and the District ask for.
For buildings and businesses
Strata and apartment buildings
Programs for strata councils and property managers.
Kitchen programs for Lower Lonsdale and the waterfront.
Offices and mixed-use buildings along Lonsdale.
Grocery stores and food markets
Food stores and market stalls.
North Vancouver Pest Control Questions
Answers for homeowners, renters and strata councils on the North Shore.
Prefer to talk?
604-771-0404Can you use rat poison in North Vancouver?
Not the strongest kind at homes. Since January 21, 2023, B.C. allows second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides only at essential services, not in or around homes, offices, parks, schools or shops. The Province calls snap traps the best option, and says traps and other alternatives should come first to bring rodent numbers down.
How much does rodent control cost in North Vancouver?
Our rodent control program is three visits: $495–$650 + GST for a house, or $395–$495 + GST for a condo. It seals gaps up to the size of a toonie; larger openings go to exclusion work. Where it fits, exterior baiting starts with a $150 + GST minimum setup, then $78.75–$95 + GST per visit, with 30 days’ notice to cancel.
Do you remove raccoons, skunks and squirrels?
Yes, through wildlife control. We find where the animal gets in and seal it once it has left. Catching an animal can’t be guaranteed, so the work focuses on keeping it out. The Province also advises removing overhanging tree limbs; for squirrels in a garden, see seven humane ways to keep them out.
Do you treat European fire ants?
Yes. European fire ants were confirmed in the City’s Tempe Heights Park in 2014 and have been detected in the District. Colonies live underground in moist lawns and garden beds, and a sting burns, then itches for days. The City asks residents not to move soil or plants from infested areas, and to report suspected fire ants to eng@cnv.org or 604-987-7155. See ant control.
Why are animals digging up my lawn?
It may be European chafer beetle grubs: the City says crows, skunks or raccoons digging up a lawn can mean a chafer infestation, and the worst damage comes from October to March. Chemical pesticides for chafer grubs aren’t permitted in either municipality; both issue lawn-watering permits for nematodes applied in late July. We treat chafer infestations too; see beetle control.
Can you keep pigeons and other birds off a building?
Yes. Bird control uses netting, spikes, tension wire and visual deterrents, chosen for the species, the level of activity and the building. Netting suits enclosed spaces such as parkades and loading docks; spike and wire systems suit ledges, parapets, signs and rooflines where birds land and roost.
Do you treat wasp nests?
Yes. Wasps are busiest from late spring to early fall, and a nest under the eaves, in a hedge or in the ground is best left to a technician. Our post on why you shouldn’t remove a wasp nest yourself explains the risks, and wasp control covers the treatment.
Can you inspect a North Vancouver house before I buy it?
Yes. Buyers and sellers get a written report with photos after the inspection. We don’t promise a turnaround time, so book it early in your subject period, and say if the house has an attic or crawl space to check. See home buyer and seller inspections for what the report covers.
Get a Free Estimate in North Vancouver
Add a few photos and your neighbourhood, City or District, and the office will call you back about the job.
- Office hours
- Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: calls, estimates and call-backs.
- Service hours
- Open 24/7 for pre-arranged services: evening, night and weekend visits when booked ahead.
Why book Phantom
- 15+ years of pest control in Vancouver
- Our own K9 teams for bed bug screening
- A preparation sheet for each treatment, on the client forms page
Free estimate request
Book a North Vancouver Inspection
Tell us where it is, City or District, and what you’ve seen. We’ll plan the first visit around it.
Estimates over the phone are free, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Treatments can be pre-arranged for evenings and weekends.