Urban Wildlife in Shift: Why Raccoons and Squirrels Are Changing Their Patterns

Toronto is one of North America's most wildlife-dense urban centres. Raccoon populations in the GTA are among the highest in the world, and grey squirrel populations in established residential neighbourhoods have grown steadily as urban canopy matures. Both species are adapting to the urban environment with increasing sophistication — and their interaction with residential properties reflects that adaptation.

Raccoons have always been attic inhabitants in Ontario, but the timing and frequency of denning behaviour is shifting. Historically, female raccoons sought attic entry in late winter to early spring for birthing. Milder conditions are extending this window, and urban food availability — compost bins, unsecured garbage, restaurant waste — is supporting larger populations that compete more aggressively for denning sites.

Squirrels present a different pattern. Grey squirrels are active year-round, and their entry into soffits and roof lines is typically opportunistic — a gap, a damaged vent cover, or a tree branch creating access. Population density in many GTA neighbourhoods has increased to the point where multiple squirrels may be competing for the same entry point, making exclusion timing critical.

Wildlife management is subject to specific regulatory requirements in Ontario. All work involving wildlife must comply with the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, which governs how, when, and by whom animals can be removed. Certain species — including raccoons — cannot be trapped and relocated beyond a specific distance from the capture site. Hiring an unlicensed operator creates regulatory exposure for the homeowner as well as welfare risks for the animal.

The most effective and durable approach to urban wildlife management is exclusion — physically closing every potential entry point with appropriate materials. This work needs to be done at the right time and in the right sequence to avoid sealing animals inside or creating entrapment situations. A licensed wildlife technician assesses the full perimeter, identifies active entry points, and designs an exclusion that accounts for the species and season.