Canada is facing a very real threat...of ticks

Ticks! The word tends to give Canadians of all stripes a sense of the creepy-crawlies-- and perhaps a touch of anxiety too. The small parasites that burrow into our skin and pose significant risk of Lyme disease are a regular summer worry for parents and pet owners-- and doubly so this year. A wave of ticks coming from the United States is expected to hit the country this summer, dramatically increasing the threat they pose-- and this could be the new normal. Host Catherine Jette speaks with Justin Wood, founder of 'Geneticks', Canada’s first private tick testing lab, about why this is happening, how you can protect yourself, and what a tick-filled summer might look like going forward. We love feedback at The Big Story, as well as suggestions for future episodes. You can find us:Through email at [email protected] Or @thebigstory.bsky.social on Bluesky