Private Tree Protection Bylaw

The City of Guelph has a Private Tree Protection Bylaw that regulates the injury (damage) and destruction (removal) of trees that meet specific criteria. If a tree is regulated by the Private Tree Protection Bylaw, a permit is required to injure or destroy that tree, or to conduct work such as landscaping, grading, excavation, construction or other activities that may injure the tree. The Private Tree Protection Bylaw does not exclusively prevent the removal or injury of trees but rather balances and structures how protection and replacement tree planting can be used to help maintain the important benefits provided by the city’s tree canopy.

This webpage will help you understand:

  1. What trees are regulated under the Private Tree Protection Bylaw, and
  2. How to apply for a permit, if you’re planning to injure or destroy a regulated tree

If there are discrepancies between the content on this webpage and the bylaw, the content of the bylaw takes precedence.

If you have questions or need support understanding the Private Tree Protection Bylaw or applying for a permit, please contact [email protected] or 519-837-5626.

The Private Tree Protection Bylaw is not the only legislation that applies to the injury or destruction of trees, and under certain circumstances other permits, like a heritage permit, may be required.

Submit a permit application

Understanding the Private Tree Protection Bylaw

I’m planning work on my property that will injure or destroy a tree (or multiple trees). Do I need a permit under the Private Tree Protection Bylaw?

If the work you’re planning will injure or destroy a tree (or multiple trees) regulated by the Private Tree Protection Bylaw, you will need a permit.

When does the Private Tree Protection Bylaw apply? What trees are regulated?

The Private Tree Protection Bylaw regulates trees on private property in the following circumstances:

  • If the private property is larger than 0.2 hectares:
    • All trees 10 centimetres and larger in diameter (measured at 1.4 metres above the ground) are regulated
  • If the private property is 0.2 hectares or less:
    • All trees 30 centimetres and larger in diameter (measured at 1.4 metres above the ground) are regulated

I need a permit; how do I apply?

A good first step is to consult with City staff who can support you through the permit application process. Contact [email protected] or 519-837-5626.

When ready, fill out the permit application form, including one or more sets of supporting material:

  • A drawing showing the tree location(s) on the property, along with information on the tree species, diameter at breast height (1.4 metres above the ground) and approximate Dripline. In some cases, a Tree Inventory and Preservation Plan prepared by a licensed Arborist or Forester is required. Refer to the Tree Technical Manual for more information.
  • Photos of the tree(s) to be injured or destroyed

Submit your permit application and pay the non-refundable permit application fee, as outlined in the User Fees Bylaw as amended by By-law Number (2025) – 21076: $150 for the injury/removal of one to three trees, plus $50 per additional tree up to a maximum permit cost of $500. Payment can be made by credit card, cheque or Electronic Funds Transfer. Payment details are on the permit application form.

Your permit may require you to plant replacement trees. A replacement tree is required for every 15 centimetres of regulated tree diameter removed. For example, removing one 10 centimetre regulated tree (from a property larger than 0.2 hectares) would require one replacement tree. Removing a 10 centimetre regulated tree and a 60 centimetre regulated tree would require five replacement trees (70 cm total diameter / 15). The City will hold a tree replacement security deposit of $350 per tree until the replanting is confirmed complete.

In circumstances where you are unable to facilitate adequate replanting—due to lack of space or other circumstances—the City may opt to accept a tree replacement fee of $350 per tree. Are there exemptions? When is a permit not required?

A permit is not required to prune a tree regulated under the Private Tree Protection Bylaw, as long as it’s performed following good arboricultural practices to maintain the health of the tree. There are also permit exemptions when the tree is:

  • completely dead,
  • an imminent or high risk (hazardous), as certified by an Arborist or Forester,
  • injured or destroyed at the direction of Emergency Services or as part of emergency work,
  • under order of removal by the City’s Property Standards or Zoning Bylaw
  • located on a rooftop or elevated podium, or in a solarium
  • a specimen of Rhamnus cathartica (Common buckthorn), Rhamnus frangula (European or Glossy buckthorn), Alnus glutinosa (Black alder), Elaeagnus umbellata (Autumn olive) or Morus alba (White mulberry)
  • on lands owned and managed by the Arboretum at the University of Guelph, provided that the injuring or destruction is for scientific purposes and in accordance with an approved Master Plan or Tree Management Plan,
  • on lands operated for a railway,
  • on a lot owned by or under the care or control of, the Grand River Conservation Authority, except for trees proposed for removal under a Planning Act application

Consult with City staff to help you determine if a tree qualifies for a permit exemption by contacting [email protected] or 519-837-5626.

I submitted my permit application, what’s next?

Submitting an application does not guarantee a permit will be granted.

In submitting your permit application, you give the City permission to enter your property for the purposes of the bylaw. An Inspector will review your application, inspect the tree(s) you propose to injure or destroy, and a decision will be made to grant or reject a permit. They may request more information to support your application. You must provide the requested information within ninety (90) days of the ask. If you do not, your application is automatically terminated.

The Inspector will consider:

  • The species, condition, and location of the tree(s).
  • The reasons for the proposed tree injury or removal.
  • Alternatives to the tree injury or removal.
  • Protection and preservation of ecological systems (e.g., native flora and fauna).
  • Proposed tree protection measures (e.g., pruning, hoarding, Tree Protection Zones).
  • Proposed replacement tree(s) and/or Replacement Tree Fee.
  • Factors like erosion, flood control, and sedimentation of watercourses.
  • Additional information needed for proper review of the application.
  • Any other applicable laws, City bylaws or policies.

The City will send the decision notice by email or regular postal mail to the applicant. It will be assumed that the notice is received on the third day after it is sent.

For corporations, the notice can be sent by registered mail to the corporation’s head office address or by email if requested.

The notice will include the reasons for the decision, details of those reasons, and be signed by the Administrator or their delegate.

My permit application was denied. Why? What can I do?

The Inspector can refuse, revoke, suspend, or add conditions to a permit for any of the following reasons:

  • The proposed tree injury or removal violates other laws, city policies, or required approvals.
  • You haven’t met the requirements of this bylaw or the permit.
  • You are doing activities that break this bylaw.
  • There are reasonable grounds to believe your application or information is false or misleading.
  • There is an unresolved legal issue related to a tree on your property.
  • You didn’t provide the requested information or access to your property within the required time.

If your permit application is denied, you may choose to appeal to the Committee of the Whole (or successor committee designated by Council). An appeal shall be made by written notice received by the City within seven days after the date of the permit refusal. There is an appeal fee of $300.

The committee will consider the appeal and may recommend that the Administrator or their delegate refuse the permit, issue the permit or issue the permit upon such conditions as the committee considers appropriate. Council will consider the recommendation and make the final decision.

I was granted a permit, what do I do now?

Your permit may have been granted with conditions, if you wish to appeal any of the conditions to the Committee of the Whole (or successor committee designated by Council), you must submit written notice to the City within seven days of the permit issuance. There is an appeal fee of $300. The Committee will consider the appeal and make a recommendation to Council who will make the final decision on the permit and its conditions.

If proceeding with the permit as issued, you must post a copy of the permit on your property at least five days before the work to injure or destroy the tree(s) begins. Make sure it’s posted in a location visible to those passing by. It must stay posted and visible until the tree work is finished.

Generally, tree permits are valid for 90 days. A one-time extension can be granted for up to an extra 90 days, if you apply for an extension at least 30 days before the original permit expires and the Inspector determines an extension to be reasonable. You can only apply for one extension. To continue or resume work under an expired tree permit, you must submit a new permit application.

Please note: permits issued under the Private Tree Protection Bylaw remain the property of the City and cannot be transferred without the approval of an Inspector. An Inspector can revoke a tree permit if it was issued based on false or misleading information, or if you fail to comply with any condition attached to the tree permit or any provision of the bylaw.

It is also important to understand that a permit issued under the Private Tree Protection Bylaw may not be the only permit required. If, for example, your regulated tree is identified as a heritage attribute of a property or heritage conservation district designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, you also need a heritage permit. For trees in Guelph’s Brooklyn and College Hill Heritage Conservation District, you need a heritage permit to remove any tree in a front or side yard, if the tree measures at least 20 centimetres in diameter. For more information contact the Heritage Planning team at [email protected] or 519-822-1260 extension 3872.

What are the penalties for violating the Private Tree Protection Bylaw?

Violating the Private Tree Protection Bylaw can result in penalties such as fines, warning notices and, in some cases, legal action, in accordance with the Municipal Act:

  • If an Inspector finds that you have broken the rules of the bylaw, they can order you to stop the non-permitted activity. They can also require you to fix the problem at your own expense.
  • If you fail to follow through with the order, the City will complete the required work at your own expense.
  • The City can recover costs from you by adding them to the municipal tax bill for the property. These costs will be collected just like property taxes.
  • The City can put a lien on your property to recover costs. It would be registered at the land registry office. The lien covers all costs due when the notice is registered, plus interest. Interest is calculated at 1.5% per month (18% per year) and added to the outstanding amount on the first day of each month until payment is made.

There is a compliance inspection fee of $500 per contravention of the bylaw, as outlined in the User Fee Bylaw as amended by By-law Number (2025) – 21076.

My trees are not regulated and/or I have a Private Tree Protection Bylaw permit for those that are, am I free to proceed with the work?

The Private Tree Protection Bylaw is not the only legislation that may apply to work that injures or destroys trees. Be sure to consider other applicable legislation. Boundary trees—those that sit on a property line—for example, fall under the legal provisions of the Ontario Forestry Act. For help determining what legislation may apply to your trees, contact [email protected] or 519-837-5626.

Figuring out who owns a tree

If you’re unsure who owns a tree, refer to a property survey or contact an Ontario Land Surveyor. More information is available on the City’s website using the Report a tree problem: Street trees in Guelph map. This information is only to be used for general purposes and does not replace a legal survey or legal advice.

When a tree is growing on a property line (the property line passes through the main trunk) it is considered a shared or boundary tree. Boundary trees can be shared between two or more properties and property owners must comply with boundary tree regulations under the Forestry Act, Section 10. If you’re looking to injure or destroy a boundary tree, get an agreement in writing from all applicable property owners before applying for a tree permit. If they refuse to an agreement, have the tree professionally surveyed to determine ownership. The City will not act as a mediator between private property disputes.

Reporting a Private Tree Protection Bylaw violation

You can report a tree bylaw violation online through the City of Guelph’s website or by calling Bylaw at 519-837-2529.

Pruning trees

A permit is not required to trim or prune a tree, if the trimming is carried out using good arboricultural practices and the work does not injure the tree.

If you plan to trim or prune a tree on your property, consider consulting the Best Management Practices (BMPs) of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) to make sure no damage comes to your tree. To ensure proper pruning methods, hire an ISA-certified arborist who will prioritize tree health and longevity while training the tree to grow to the desired form.

Planting trees

A Private Tree Protection Bylaw permit is not required to plant a tree on your private property, though you do need permission from the owner if the private property is not yours.

A Private Tree Protection Bylaw permit is not needed to plant a tree on City property, but you do need permission from the City.

About the Private Tree Protection Bylaw

The City’s One Canopy Strategy sets out a goal of reaching 40 per cent tree canopy cover in Guelph by 2070, through increased tree planting on private and public land. Tree canopy cover is an indicator of a sustainable, livable, green city and contributes to the social, environmental, and economic wellbeing of our city.

Tree canopy cover is the layer of leaves, branches, and stems of trees that you see when looking down from above. This can affect air quality, temperature, biodiversity and livability for a community. The Private Tree Protection Bylaw is a tool that helps us preserve the many benefits provided by large, mature trees, by setting in place a process to make sure they’re replaced with other trees if they must be removed.

For more information

[email protected]
519-837-5626