We’ve certainly heard a lot about making our buildings safer, including upgrades to ventilation.
Fall is approaching, and it seems there is more back-to-everything now than in the last two years—more Canadians are heading back to school and the office after a lot of virtual participation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
One of the building services we might hear about in the news is that required when there’s a pest problem—whether that be a termite infestation, bedbug invasion or a bat break-in (even though they’re useful mosquito-eaters!).
In June 2022, there were 1,368 businesses nationwide in the exterminating and pest control services sector, up from 1,320 in June 2021 and 1,285 in June 2020. These businesses were engaged in exterminating and controlling birds, insects, rodents, termites and other pests—their services also included disinfection and fumigation.
Of these businesses in June 2022, about half (698) reported staff numbers, and, of those, nearly 6 in 10 businesses (58.9%) had one to four employees. Close to one-fifth (19.5%) had five to nine employees on staff.
Across the provinces in 2019, there was a total floor area of 709 million square metres spread across 555,951 commercial and institutional buildings. So, there’s a lot of space that potentially needs services provided by these mostly small businesses!
Exterminating and pest control are among other services provided to buildings and dwellings, which include janitorial, landscaping, carpet and upholstery. Combined, this industry group contributed over $9.1 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product in the second quarter of 2022, up from nearly $6.4 billion during the same period in 2020.
Give me your pest price and people
Exterminating and pest control businesses must travel to job sites and have been stung by the increase in the price of fuel. Close to half (46.9%) of businesses in the broader administrative and support, waste management and remediation services industry projected rising transportation costs for the third quarter of 2022.
Nearly 60% of businesses in this industry projected rising inflation to be a problem during the same quarter, on par with the average of all industries.
About 7 in 10 (70.3%) businesses in this industry also projected challenges with recruiting and retaining staff in the third quarter of 2022. This industry had the third-highest projections among all industries, behind transportation and warehousing (70.8%) and accommodation and food services (72.0%).
Prices for pesticides and other agricultural chemicals—which include commercial fumigants, fungicides and insecticides—were about 36% higher in August 2022 compared with August 2020.
Capital expenditures for businesses involved in administrative and support services—including extermination and pest control—actually declined in 2020 and 2021 from $1.1 billion in 2019, before climbing back to over $1 billion in 2022.
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).