Do you want to help scientists with their research? From time to time, researchers put out calls for volunteers to assist them with their projects. Whenever I come across an opportunity for Canadians to participate in tick-borne illness research, I add it to the list below.
If you are aware of any relevant Canadian citizen science projects not listed below, please use the contact form to send me the details.
Updated March 4, 2026
eTick.ca Photo Submission Platform
Members of the public can submit photos of ticks they find on themselves, their pets, or in the environment to the eTick.ca photo submission platform where experts will identify them. Alternatively, the free mobile app can be downloaded from Apple's App Store or GooglePlay. The growing dataset benefits scientific research.
G. Magnotta Lab Tick Donation Program
The G. Magnotta Lyme Disease Research Lab at the University of Guelph invites Canadians over the age of 18 to participate in a research study on Canadian ticks. Simply fill out a consent form and an online tick submission form then mail your tick in to the lab where it will be investigated for pathogens in an effort to gain a better understanding of disease-causing organisms in this country.
Geneticks Canada
Private lab Geneticks Canada offers paid tick identification and testing services for anyone who wishes to have a tick tested and receive results quickly. It also allows Canadians to send in ticks for research purposes for no fee. There is no guarantee that your tick will be tested or that you will receive a report back promptly, but you will have the satisfaction of contributing to science.
iNaturalist Canada
Strictly speaking, not a tick tracker. But iNaturalist gives Canadians the opportunity to record details relating to tick sightings, upload photos and crowdsource identification. The information provided can help scientists and resource managers to better understand what species of ticks Canadians are encountering, where they are encountering them and to what degree.
New Brunswick Tick-Proofing Project
The New Brunswick Tick Proofing Project encourages ongoing public assistance with its research initiatives. Opportunities vary depending on research needs.
Yukon Winter Tick Monitoring Project
The Yukon government and the University of Toronto have teamed up on this project designed to monitor winter tick populations in the Yukon. While winter ticks don't bite humans or pass along diseases to us, they can have a significant impact on deer, moose, elk and caribou populations. If you are a moose or caribou hunter in the Yukon, your input could be instrumental in helping researchers better understand the situation in your region.