Toronto Raccoons & Squirrels: Changing Urban Patterns

When do raccoons move into attics in Toronto?

Female raccoons need a den for their kits by spring, after mating between January and April, and the City of Toronto says to check for babies before sealing any opening, especially between March and July. Raccoons don't truly hibernate, and their mating season starts with longer days.

Toronto's raccoons find a good share of their food in garbage, and the City of Toronto says raccoons can enter uncapped chimneys and openings in attics, roofs and eaves.

When do squirrels have babies in the attic?

Grey squirrels are active all year and have two litters each year, the first born in February to March and the second in June to July. They get in through loose roof vents, rotten or loose soffits and loose shingles, so the City of Toronto advises repairing these and trimming back overhanging tree limbs. But a mother sealed out of the attic leaves her young stuck inside, so when the opening is sealed really matters.

Can you relocate a raccoon or squirrel in Ontario?

Not far: Ontario generally prohibits capturing and relocating live wildlife, and when it is live-captured to protect property, it must be released within 1 kilometre of where it was caught, within 24 hours. That means driving a raccoon out to the countryside isn't allowed. Ontario's rules for wildlife work are set by the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and its regulations.

How do you keep raccoons and squirrels out after removal?

Once every animal is out, seal each way in with durable, gnaw-resistant material, such as the 1.25 cm (½ inch) mesh hardware cloth the City of Toronto recommends for open vents and roof holes. Getting the animal out is only part of the job, and the rest is exclusion. It has to be done at the right time and in the right order so no animal gets sealed inside or trapped.

We check the whole outside of the house, find the openings being used and plan the exclusion around the animal and the time of year.