Toronto’s trees are vital urban infrastructure. They cool neighbourhoods, improve air quality, support biodiversity and help the city adapt to climate change. Mature trees offer irreplaceable ecological benefits, making their protection essential to achieving Toronto’s target of 40 per cent canopy cover by 2050.
To strengthen long-term tree protection and support a resilient urban forest, the City is updating its Tree Bylaws, including Chapter 813 (Trees) and Chapter 658 (Ravine and Natural Feature Protection). These changes will strengthen protections for large, healthy trees, improve tree preservation during development, and ensure the bylaws reflect current development pressures and environmental priorities.
Toronto’s urban forest provides more than $55 million annually in ecosystem benefits, including stormwater reduction, improved air quality and lower energy use. Strengthening tree protections will help preserve these benefits and support a healthier, more resilient city for future generations.
These updates reflect findings from the Tree Bylaw Review Report and direction from City Council (Item 2026.IE27.8). Learn more about the key changes below.
A series of updates are being introduced to modernize enforcement, improve transparency and strengthen the City’s ability to protect Toronto’s urban forest. Together, these changes will help canopy loss is more effectively restored and the public has greater public access to tree protection information.
Quarterly public reporting of tree permit and contravention outcomes will be published on the City’s Open Data Portal, improving transparency while maintaining appropriate privacy safeguards. This enhancement will be implemented in 2026.
The Private Tree Bylaw will include stump diameter of 40 cm or greater to be used as a secondary measurement tool when a removed tree’s trunk cannot be measured, strengthening investigations. This update takes effect September 1, 2026.
Trees planted through enforcement actions or development approvals will require a permit for injury or destruction regardless of size, ensuring they have the opportunity to mature and contribute to canopy goals. This amendment takes effect September 1, 2026.
Evidence standards for recommending fines will be updated to reflect arboricultural principles, including tree size, condition and significance. These updates will be implemented in 2026.
Contravention related tree replacement ratios will shift to a diameter‑based system, starting at 5:1 and increasing for larger trees, ensuring canopy lost due to bylaw violations is more accurately replaced. This update takes effect on September 1, 2026.
Fees associated with Tree Bylaw contraventions will be reviewed to determine whether adjustments are needed to align with service delivery costs and the City’s User Fee Policy. Any adjustments will be considered through the 2027 operating budget process.
The City will explore whether a Tree Replacement Fee should be created for situations where required replanting does not occur on‑site after a contravention, with results included in a report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee in 2027.
The City will evaluate whether introducing set fines under the Provincial Offences Act or an Administrative Penalty System (APS) could strengthen enforcement, with findings included in a report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee in 2027.
Starting September 1, 2026, there will be new permit application fees in ravine or natural feature protection areas for regulated activities such as tree injury, removal and grade alteration, with exemptions for voluntary stewardship and eligible projects.
| User Fee Description | Fee Basis | Recommended Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Ravine Tree: Non-Construction Permit Application Fee | Per Tree | $87.57 |
| Ravine Boundary/Neighbour Tree: Non-Construction Permit Application Fee | Per Tree | $183.03 |
| Ravine Tree: Construction Permit Application Fee | Per Tree | $262.72 |
| Ravine Boundary/Neighbour Tree: Construction Permit Application Fee | Per Tree | $549.08 |
| Alteration of Grade - No Trees: Permit Application Tree | Per Application | $632.51 |
City Council direction over multiple years informed the scope, focus and priorities of the Tree Bylaw Review. This direction emphasized strengthening tree protection, improving enforcement, modernizing bylaw administration, and aligning urban forestry practices with development and regulatory processes.
Council requested that the Tree Bylaw Review include information on how the City’s Tree Bylaws relate to the Ontario Building Code and asked the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to recognize the Private Tree Bylaw as an applicable law for building permit issuance. Council also directed staff to examine how outcomes of Tree Bylaw contraventions could be made publicly available.
Agenda Item: 2025.MM32.21
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee received the annual report summarizing Tree Bylaw appeals and removal permit outcomes under Chapters 813 and 658.
Agenda Item: 2025.IEC22.8
Council authorized the collection of personal information needed to administer urban forestry grants and incentive programs, enabling improved program oversight and delivery.
Agenda Item: 2025.IE21.5
Council directed staff to assess options for increasing fees and fines to improve compliance and enforcement with the City’s Tree Bylaws as part of the ongoing bylaw review.
Agenda Item: 2025.IE19.9
Council amended several Municipal Code chapters to grant the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry (formerly Environment and Climate) equal enforcement authority alongside the General Manager, Parks and Recreation (formerly Parks, Forestry and Recreation), improving administrative clarity and consistency.
Agenda Item: 2024.IE18.6
Council directed staff to examine the diameter at which trees are protected under the Private Tree Bylaw, contributing to future considerations for updating the protection threshold.
Agenda Item: 2021.IE26.6
Council adopted the Auditor General’s report identifying the need for improvements to Tree Bylaw enforcement, oversight and permit issuance processes.
Agenda Item: 2018.AU13.10
Council considered the implications of exempting black walnut trees from protection under the City’s Tree Bylaws.
Agenda Item: 2017.PE17.2