TORONTO, April 22, 2026 – As temperatures rise in late April, outdoor activities such as park outings, backyard gardening, dog walking, and camping are gradually increasing across the Greater Toronto Area. For families who often take children to parks, grow vegetables or weed in the backyard, or bring pets into grassy and wooded areas, spring also means paying earlier attention to tick and Lyme disease risks.
Toronto Public Health and Public Health Ontario remind residents that blacklegged ticks may be found in wooded areas, shrubs, leaf piles, tall grass, and along trail edges. After spending time in parks, on trails, in backyards, or at campsites, residents should promptly check their bodies, clothing, and pets to reduce the risk of missing a tick bite.
For many Chinese and new immigrant families, tick risks are easy to underestimate. Parents often pay attention to sun protection, mosquitoes, and pollen when going outdoors, but may not immediately think about ticks. In fact, ticks are very small, usually cause no obvious pain when attached, and are even harder to detect at the nymph stage.
Backyard activities also require attention. When maintaining lawns, trimming plants, or clearing leaves, residents should wear long sleeves and long pants, use gloves, and check areas such as the lower legs, waist, armpits, behind the ears, and scalp after returning indoors. Families with pets should also check behind the ears, around the neck, between the toes, and on the belly to avoid bringing ticks back into the car or home.
If a tick bite is found, residents do not necessarily need to go to the emergency department, but they should not delay handling it. After a bite, they can contact a pharmacist, family doctor, nurse practitioner, or Health811 as soon as possible to ask about next steps. If symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, muscle or joint pain, or an expanding red rash appear, medical advice should be sought promptly.
As spring outdoor activities increase, tick prevention has become a practical reminder for GTA families. Effective prevention does not mean avoiding all outdoor activities. It means preparing clothing and insect protection before going out, checking the body and pets promptly after returning home, and dealing with any concerns as soon as possible.(LJI by Yuanyuan)
