Suppose you live in East York, whether it’s Old East York, the Danforth edges, Leaside borders, or down by Taylor Creek, you already know the drill. One day you’re enjoying the big trees and quiet streets, the next day you hear what sounds like a bowling league rolling nuts across your attic at 6 a.m. That’s squirrel life in our neighbourhood. This guide is written like I’m telling my neighbour over the back fence, because that’s precisely how most of us figure this stuff out around here.
Why East York Is Basically a Squirrel Resort
We’ve got everything they love: hundred-year-old oaks and maples, bird feeders on every second porch, and houses built before anyone thought “wildlife exclusion” was a thing. Add the ravines, Stan Wadlow Park, and all the green space along the Don Valley, and it’s no wonder grey squirrels (and the occasional black one) treat our roofs like the 401 at rush hour.
Fall and early winter are the worst. Pregnant females start looking for warm spots in October, and by February, the babies are big enough to make noise that keeps you staring at the ceiling. Spring brings round two when the young ones get kicked out and need new homes, guess whose attic looks perfect?
How to Know It’s Definitely Squirrels (Not Mice, Rats, or Raccoons)
Sign Squirrels Mice/Rats Raccoons
Time of day most active Early morning & late afternoon All night long Mostly nighttime
Noise type Running, thumping, rolling sounds Scratching, tiny squeaks Heavy walking, growling
Droppings Small, rounded pellets (like brown rice) Tiny black grains Large, tubular, often in piles
Entry hole size 5–8 cm, usually high up on the roof Tiny gaps anywhere Big torn-open holes
Chewed wires/wood Yes, big gnaw marks Small nibbles Rips things apart
Smell in the attic Mild nutty/musky Strong urine smell Very strong, like wet dog
If you’re hearing the pitter-patter at 7 a.m. while you’re making coffee, it’s almost always a squirrel.
The Legal Stuff (Ontario Rules Short Version)
● You’re allowed to trap and remove squirrels from your own house no permit needed.
● You can relocate them, but only within 1 kilometre (otherwise you’re spreading problems to someone else’s neighbourhood).
● Poison is basically illegal for homeowners to use on squirrels.
● Killing them is allowed if they’re doing severe damage, but most people (and most companies) avoid it unless there’s no choice.
● Never seal babies inside, that’s the fastest way to have dead animals in your walls.
What Actually Works (Stuff My Neighbours and I Have Tried)
1. One-Way Doors (the magic fix) Buy or rent the metal exclusion door, screw it over the central hole after you’re sure mom and babies are out for the day, leave it three full nights, then seal the hole for good. Works 9 times out of 10.
2. The Radio Trick: Put an old talk-radio station up there for a few days. They hate constant human voices. CBC Radio One at full volume has cleared more attics on my street than I can count.
3. Motion Lights + Strobe: Cheap LED motion floodlight plus a $15 disco strobe from Party City. Looks ridiculous, but they bail fast.
4. Trim the Trees (the part nobody wants to do) If a branch is within three metres of your roof, they’re using it. Pay the tree guy once, save yourself years of headaches.
5. Hot Pepper Spray That Doesn’t Wash Off in Two Days Mix cayenne pepper + dish soap + a spoon of cooking oil (the oil makes it stick). Neighbours on Mortimer swear by this recipe.
When You Have to Call Someone (and Who Locals Actually Use)
The hole may be on the third storey, there may be babies, and you just do not have time to handle it personally. In the said cases, the company that responds fast in East York and tends to charge fairly includes Hawkeye, the bird on a truck team, Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, SOS Wildlife Control, Liddle Rascals, yes, that is the real name. They are good and AAA Gates Wildlife, which is well-renowned in the east end. Always insist on a guarantee of one-way door exclusion when calling, as all reputable companies provide this service.
How to Keep Them Gone Forever (The East York Checklist)
● Metal mesh on all vents (plastic ones get chewed in a weekend)
● Cut branches back 10 feet if you can
● Baffles on bird feeders or just take the feeders down November–March
● Cap the chimney if you don’t use the fireplace
● Walk your roofline twice a year, looking for new chew marks
Do those five things, and you’ll probably never have to reread another squirrel article.
Final Word From Someone Who Lives Two Streets Over
I’ve had them in the attic twice in 15 years, once when I was lazy about tree trimming, and once right after a new roof went on, when the roofers left a gap the size of a Tim Hortons cup. Both times, the one-way door plus a loud radio cleared them out in under a week. No poison, no dead babies in the walls, no smell that lasts until spring.
East York is never going to be squirrel-free. We chose the trees when we bought here. But you can absolutely make your house the one they skip. Start with the radio tonight, check for holes tomorrow morning, and you’ll sleep better by the weekend.