I don't know what the Canadian equivalent of the USDA or Extension Service is, but I would consult them or an Agricultural/Entymology department at a university. They are probably some relative of a ground beetle that eats rotting vegetable matter. Spruce bark beetles are tiny, but their antennae are almost invisible. Where do you live in Canada?

Get some annoying guinea fowl to take care of those annoying bugs. Guinea fowl will be everywhere also. "lol":)

In New England (Massachusetts) we call then gnats or no-can-see-ems. These little tiny flying terrors live in the grass and love damp areas. They bite like crazy. When the horses graze we spray them down with bug repellent and put masks on them but sometimes they are so relentless the horse run for cover.

Can you get a picture?? I am guessing it is some type of beetle...there are literally hundreds of thousands of species of beetles.

Here is a link that might be useful: North American beetles