Trees and Construction

Are you building a new house, garage, or addition? We’re here to help you protect your boulevard trees.

While you are planning

• In most residential neighborhoods, the trees that line the streets are owned by the City. To confirm if a tree adjacent to your construction site is City-owned, call 311.
• If you are working within five metres of a City-owned tree, a fence must be erected around the Tree Protection Zone* to ensure no damage to the tree or it's roots. (*A tree protection zone is the outermost circumference of a tree canopy where water drips from onto the ground.)
• Parking and/or storing materials and equipment within the tree protection zone is not permitted.
• Where temporary site access across a tree protection zone is required, call 311 to request assistance from an Urban Forester. This is necessary because prevention measures must be taken to keep tree soil from becoming compacted. 
• Adjacent trees may also require pruning to ensure proper clearance for machinery or utility access.

Protecting trees is worth your money

Trees are a valuable City asset. If your project damages a public tree, your project will be charged for the damage.

Depending on the damage, the tree may need to be removed. You will be responsible for both the cost of removal and the asset value of the tree. Some larges elms are worth more than $45,000!

We protect trees by

• Pruning in advance to provide clearance for equipment
• Recommending better spots to park to prevent damage from exhaust
• Showing you how to meet your needs while working around large roots instead of cutting them

Photos

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  Hoarding with a snow fence
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  Hoarding with plywood
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  Excavating near a tree
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  Compaction near a tree

For More Information