Toronto, the largest city in Canada has an urban forest with an estimated 10.2 million trees covering approximately 18,000 hectares.  Forty percent of this valuable resource is maintained by the City, including an estimated 3.5 million trees within our parkland system and approximately 600,000 trees on our streets.    

How do we do it?

We respond to more than 80,000 requests for tree maintenance annually.  Hazards are assessed on a priority basis and are eliminated to maintain public safety.   

Maintenance of City owned trees involves:

inspection evaluation protection pruning watering fertilizing health care removal planting

The focus of our maintenance service is shifting progressively from reactive maintenance (responding to your call) to proactive maintenance.  Proactive maintenance allows us to assess the areas in need and conduct necessary tree maintenance on all trees as needed by neighbourhood in a more systematic way, and on a regular cycle.  The planned and proactive tree maintenance on an area basis is more efficient, results in well maintained trees, reduces risk of tree failure, reduces complaints and improves customer service.   

Trees are routinely removed when they are in poor health and are no longer viable to be maintained or are in hazardous condition.  Urban Forestry replaces trees that are removed with new trees.  Each year approximately one hundred thousand trees are planted in parks, ravines and natural areas and along streets as part of our tree planting program. 

We plant trees on City owned street allowances adjacent to private properties free of charge. Think green for future generations! Please call 3-1-1 Toronto to request a free tree to be planted adjacent to your home.   Please click here for the list of trees that are available and to download a tree planting request form.

If a City owned street tree or park tree is in need of maintenance, please call 3-1-1 Toronto to request a tree maintenance inspection.