The City of Toronto plants and maintains trees on City land, to help grow Toronto’s urban forest and to reach the City’s goal of increasing the tree canopy to 40 per cent by 2050.
The City of Toronto owns a portion of land between roadways and private property, known as the city road allowance. The City plants and maintains trees on this land.
A property owner can submit a tree planting request for the City-owned road allowance in front of their home or business.
Request a City Tree Planting or call 311
The City’s Urban Forestry staff will visit the site to confirm the right tree species and determine the ideal planting location. Tree planting takes place in spring or fall.
Species available for planting on the City’s road allowance are listed in the Street Tree Brochure.
Trees improve air quality, minimize noise and dust, and reduce storm water runoff. Trees also benefit individual property owners by increasing property values and decreasing heating and cooling costs.
The City can recommend that a tree be planted on the City-owned road allowance adjacent to your property. A Notice of Planned Tree Planting will be left in your mailbox or door to let you know when the tree is expected to be planted.
If you have questions or concerns, or if you wish to cancel a recommended tree planting, call 311 within three weeks from the planned planting date.
If your area has been selected for tree planting, you will receive a notice that will include:
On the day of the planting, ensure there is a 1.5-metre by 1.5-metre clearance around the proposed planting site. Remove items like decorative features, flower pots, plants or other objects.
The City of Toronto is not responsible for damages to any private property located on the City-owned road allowance.
Street trees face difficult growing conditions. Help care for this tree by watering it for the first two to three years while the tree becomes established.
A notice with additional tree care information will be provided at the time of planting.
Replacement plantings will be offset from the stump for installation and tree health purposes. The planned location may be moved onsite at the time of planting due to roots, utilities or other underground obstacles.
The species and planting location have been selected through an onsite evaluation of growing factors like:
In addition to requesting that the City plant a tree on the road allowance in front of your home, there are a number of other ways to get involved. Check out the Urban Forestry Grants and Incentives to see how you can make a difference.
There are many benefits when planting native plants. They have low cost, low maintenance and they can help sustain local ecosystems. Since ecosystems are dependent on environmental conditions such as moisture and light, the species below represents a plant community. Choosing plants from the same community will help them to thrive:
| Full Sun | Full Sun to Partial Shade | Partial Shade to Shade |
|---|---|---|
| black oak (Quercus velutina)
white pine (Pinus strobus) smooth rose (Rosa blanda) American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) |
black oak (Quercus velutina)
white pine (Pinus strobus) choke cherry (Prunus virginiana) snowberry (Symphoricarpos alba) smooth aster (Aster laevis) common wood sedge (Carex blanda) foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) cylindric blazing star (Liatris cylindracea) hairy bush-clover (Lespedeza hirta)
|
sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
maple-leaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) round-leaved dogwood (Cornus rugosa) big-leaved aster (Aster macrophyllus) bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix) woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) zig-zag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulus)
|
| Full Sun | Full Sun to Partial Shade | Partial Shade to Shade |
|---|---|---|
| trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides)black cherry (Prunus serotina)
grey dogwood (Cornus racemosa) virgin’s bower ((Clematis virginiana) new england aster (Aster novae–angliae) evening primrose (Oenathera biennis) showy tick trefoil (Desmodiumcanadense) pale-leaved sunflower (Helianthusstrumosus) spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) |
ironwood (Ostrya viginiana)red oak (Quercus rubra)
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus vitacea) smooth Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) common wood sedge (Carex blanda) Michigan lily (Lilium michiganense) wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) starry false solomon’s seal (Maianthemum stellatum) |
sugar maple (Acer saccharum)witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
alternate-leaf dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) Soloman’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum) zig-zag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulus) mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) red baneberry (Actaea rubra) virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana) |
| Full Sun | Full Sun to Partial Shade | Partial Shade to Shade |
|---|---|---|
| white cedar (Thuja occidentalis)silver maple (Acer saccharinum)
buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) Canada wild rye (Elymus canadensis) dense blazing-star (Liatris spicata) blue vervain (Verbena hastata) green-headed coneflower (Rudbeckia lacinata) |
yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis)American basswood (Tilia Americana)
common elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) nannyberry (Vibrunum lentago) wood rush (Luzula multiflora) thin-leaved sunflower (Helianthus decapetalus) great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) turtlehead (Chelon glabra) Bebb’s sedge (Carex bebbii) |
hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)black maple (Acer nigrum)
spicebush (Lindera benzoin) black currant (Ribes americanum) white baneberry (Actaea pachypoda) red baneberry (Actaea rubra) Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis) wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) wild ginger (Asarum canadense) |
Learn about opportunities for tree planting and stewardship in Toronto.