Ticks in Québec

Written by Phillip George · Last updated: July 24, 2026

Ticks in Québec: what to actually watch for

Southern Québec has become one of Canada's most active zones for blacklegged ticks, and Lyme disease reports have climbed sharply over the past decade — concentrated in the Estrie (Eastern Townships) and the Montérégie. This guide covers which ticks you are likely to meet in Québec, where and when the risk is highest, and what to do after a bite. For current risk maps and case data, use the official Québec links below.

Key takeaways for Québec

• The blacklegged tick drives Lyme risk: Ixodes scapularis is the species behind almost all of Québec's Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and babesiosis cases.
• The south is the hotspot: Estrie has the highest Lyme incidence in the province, followed by the Montérégie, Outaouais, and Centre-du-Québec.
• Free local identification exists: eTick — the national tick-photo service — is run right here in Québec at Bishop's University in Sherbrooke.

Which ticks you'll actually encounter

• Blacklegged / deer tick (Ixodes scapularis) — the tick that matters for disease in Québec. Reddish-brown with a dark shield; nymphs are poppy-seed-sized and active in late spring and summer.
• American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) — larger, brown with pale mottling, common in open grassy areas. A nuisance biter, but not a meaningful Lyme carrier in Québec.

If you are not sure what you found, submit a photo to eTick rather than guessing — Québec's own INSPQ tick identification guide is also linked below.

Sources: INSPQ — Lyme disease; Québec.ca — Lyme disease.

Where and when risk is highest

Established tick populations are concentrated across southern Québec, especially the Estrie, Montérégie, Outaouais, Centre-du-Québec, and the greater Montréal periphery. Risk generally decreases as you move north, but ticks continue to expand their range as winters grow milder. Ticks can be active whenever temperatures rise above about 4 °C; the highest-risk window for people is late spring through midsummer, when the tiny, easily-missed nymphs are questing.

Tick-borne diseases reported in Québec

• Lyme disease — the dominant tick-borne illness in Québec and a reportable disease.
• Anaplasmosis and babesiosis — less common, but increasingly reported where blacklegged ticks are established.

For symptoms and timelines, see our tick-borne disease symptoms in humans guide.

Found a tick in Québec? Do this

1. Remove it promptly with fine-tipped tweezers — follow our tick removal guide.
2. Identify it by uploading photos to eTick.ca (run from Bishop's University in Sherbrooke) or using the INSPQ tick identification guide.
3. Record the date and location and monitor for symptoms for several weeks.
4. Contact Info-Santé 811 or a healthcare provider if you develop a rash or flu-like symptoms, and ask about post-exposure options if the bite occurred in a high-risk area.

Official Québec resources

• Québec.ca — Lyme disease
• INSPQ — Lyme disease (surveillance & public health guidance)
• INSPQ — Identification guide for ticks found in Québec
• eTick.ca — submit a tick photo for identification
• Public Health Agency of Canada — Lyme disease

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