Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Executive Summary Subterranean termites are the most destructive structural insect pests. Over twenty percent of Canadians now live in termite infested municipalities. With continuing trends toward urbanization and the continuing spread of urban infestations, termites are becoming an increasing problem in Canada.
Termites are most prevalent in southern Ontario and southern British Columbia.
Because termites are an introduced pest in Ontario, the housing stock has not been chemically pre-treated to prevent termites. Also because of the age and density of the housing in Toronto there has been extensive damage. Conventional termite control entails the use of large amounts of persistent termiticide to create a toxic barrier in the soil under the foundation of a structure. This large quantity of toxicant in close proximity to human habitation creates health hazards and environmental concerns. The Urban Entomology Program in the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Toronto was established to find alternatives to the chemical barrier method of control.