Toronto’s trees are more than just greenery—they are vital urban infrastructure. They cool our neighbourhoods, clean our air, support biodiversity and make our city more resilient to climate change. Mature trees, in particular, provide irreplaceable ecological benefits that young trees take decades to match.
In 2021, City Council reaffirmed its commitment to achieving 40 per cent tree canopy cover by 2050. While planting new trees is essential, protecting the ones we already have, especially large, healthy, mature trees, is the foundation of a thriving urban forest.
Toronto’s Tree Bylaws play a key role in this effort. These bylaws regulate the injury and removal of trees, require planting replacement trees in compensation, and safeguard sensitive natural areas like ravines and tableland forests. They help ensure that development and land use decisions respect and preserve our natural heritage.
The City is now reviewing and proposing updates to the Tree Bylaws including Toronto Municipal Code Chapter (MCC) 813, Trees (Private and Street Tree By-laws) and MCC 658 Ravine and Natural Feature Protection By-law. The goal is to address operational, environmental and policy challenges, improve service delivery, and reflect the values and input of Toronto’s residents and community partners.
Take the survey by September 24.
Registration links will be posted when they become available.
For more information, email TreeBylaw@toronto.ca.
Toronto’s urban forest is critical for climate change resilience. Trees and natural areas absorb carbon, cool our streets and help manage stormwater. They make our neighbourhoods healthier and more livable, especially for equity-deserving groups. As part of our city’s green infrastructure, Toronto’s urban forest provides over $55 million in annual ecosystem benefits, from cleaner air to lower energy costs and flood prevention.
The City is reviewing and proposing updates to ensure they reflect today’s environmental, social and economic realities. The review aims to
Changes are being proposed to the following bylaws:
The City is exploring several initiatives through the Tree Bylaw review.
Under the current Tree Bylaw, trees on private property larger than 30 centimetres (cm) in diameter require a permit for injury or removal. If a permit is granted, planting replacement trees in compensation is required as part of the permit conditions. This threshold of 30 cm protects mature trees that provide the greatest environmental and social benefit. The City is exploring lowering this threshold to protect more trees earlier in their growth.
To improve deterrence and incentivize compliance, the City is considering higher financial penalties for Tree Bylaw contraventions. This could include supplementary fees for illegal removals, higher fines and increased compensation requirements.
Large, healthy trees bigger than 61 cm in diameter provide significant environmental and community benefits. A new “Distinctive Tree” category is being considered to recognize and better protect big trees. Under this approach, permits to remove these trees would require Community Council approval, while injury permits could continue to be approved by staff.
The cost of maintaining large-growing trees can be a barrier to tree planting and preservation for private property owners. The City is considering a dedicated fund to support the care of mature trees on private property. Qualifying private property owners would be eligible for an incentive that would help offset the cost of maintenance of large, healthy trees.
The City is exploring changes to its Official Plan to better protect trees during new development. The goal is to encourage builders in residential areas to keep more trees that are protected by the Tree Bylaw, by giving developers more flexibility in how they design buildings even if it doesn’t meet the current zoning, as long as the design helps preserve protected trees.
Unlike the Private and Street Tree Bylaw (MCC 813, Trees), there are no application fees for removing or injuring trees located in ravine-protected areas (MCC 658). To ensure a more equitable and consistent approach, the City is considering introducing these fees in ravines to help cover the cost of reviewing and processing permits. Voluntary stewardship projects, involving planting native trees, removing invasive species or restoring habitats, would be exempt.
City Council directed staff to strengthen protections for Toronto’s tree canopy by improving enforcement tools, clarifying how tree bylaws relate to building permits and exploring public transparency around violations. They also requested the Province to formally recognize Toronto’s Private Tree Bylaw as an applicable law for the purposes of issuing a building permit under the Ontario Building Code.
Agenda Item History - 2025.MM32.21
The Planning and Housing Committee asked staff to consult the public on proposed changes to the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw that would in part give builders more flexibility to design around protected trees.
Agenda Item History - 2025.PH21.6
The Infrastructure and Environment Committee asked staff to look into raising fees and fines to improve compliance with Toronto’s Tree Bylaws.
Agenda Item History - 2025.IE19.9
The Planning and Housing Committee asked staff to consult the public on how to protect and grow Toronto’s tree canopy while supporting new housing including information about large homes that may impact tree preservation.
Agenda Item History - 2024.PH11.4
City Council directed staff to review and update policies and zoning rules to better protect existing trees and expand the tree canopy when allowing new housing including updating the Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw; simplifying Committee of Adjustment application requirements and monitoring the impact of new housing types like laneway suites, garden suites, and multiplexes studying how deep-basement homes and other low-rise developments affect the urban forest; and exploring whether new policies or bylaws were needed to strengthen tree protection.
Agenda Item History - 2023.PH8.6
City Council requested staff to review the size requirements for tree protection under the Private Tree Bylaw.
Agenda Item History - 2021.IE26.6
City Council asked staff to study the impacts of iceberg homes—large houses with deep, multi-level basements that go beyond the building’s footprint on issues like soil erosion, tree damage, stormwater management and effects on nearby properties.