Do you want to help scientists with their research? From time to time, researchers put out calls for volunteers to assist them with moving their projects forward. Whenever I come across an opportunity for Canadians to participate in tick-borne illness research, I'll list them below. Here are a few current opportunities.

If you are aware of any relevant Canadian citizen science projects not listed below, please use my contact form to send me the details.

Updated June 22, 2023

eTick.ca Photo Submission Platform

You can submit photos of your ticks to the eTick.ca photo submission platform for expert identification. An eTick app is available on Apple's App Store and GooglePlay, so you can now submit a photo in real-time. The growing dataset will benefit scientific research.

Lloyd Tick Lab & Geneticks Canada

The university based Lloyd Tick Lab has partnered with the private lab Geneticks Canada to offer tick identification and testing services. Anyone can send photos of ticks to the Lloyd Tick Lab for identification for free, if your interest is simply to know the identity of the tick you've encountered. Ticks can also be sent in for testing by Geneticks Canada, which will test for multiple tick-borne pathogens for a fee based on which (or how many) pathogens you want the tick tested for.

New Brunswick Tick-Proofing Project Seeking Volunteers

Public assistance in research initiatives is solicited by the New Brunswick Tick Proofing Project on an ongoing basis and opportunities vary depending on research needs. Currently, submissions of cat-caught small mammals and birds are being sought from the public. Hunters are also asked to submit meat donations from recent kills.

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.

Janet Sperling, Tick Researcher, University of Alberta

Anyone can submit ticks that will be used in microbiome research. Send email to get details.
Email: infsper@telus.net

Queen's University Online Survey

If you are Canadian, over 18 years old, and have been bitten by a tick, Emilie Norris-Roozmon, a graduate student in the biology department at Queen’s University, is inviting you to fill out an online survey describing your symptoms, experiences with healthcare practitioners, and any diagnoses you may have received in relation to your tick bite.

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 can be instrumental in helping researchers better understand the situation in your region.