By-laws contained in this section have been prepared for reference purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this information; however it is not to be used in place of actual by-laws.
Actual by-laws can be obtained at the following locations:
City ArchivesA by-law of the City of Ottawa respecting the protection of municipal trees and municipal natural areas in the City of Ottawa and trees on private property in the urban area of the City of Ottawa, and to repeal By-laws 2009-200 and 2006-279.
WHEREAS the Council of the City of Ottawa has approved a strategic Urban Forest Management Plan with a goal to maintain and grow Ottawa’s urban forest;
AND WHEREAS the protection of trees is key to realizing the objectives and principles of Ottawa’s Urban Forest Management Plan and Ottawa’s tree canopy cover goals and tree policies outlined in the City’s Official Plan;
AND WHEREAS 135 of the Municipal Act provides that a municipality may prohibit or regulate the destruction or injury of trees;
THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Ottawa enacts as follows:
In this by-law:
“adjacent tree” means a tree, of which the trunk is growing on a property sharing a boundary with the subject site;
“agricultural operation” means an agricultural, aquacultural, horticultural or silvicultural operation that is carried out with the expectation of gain or reward;
“applicant” means the person who submits an application to the City for a tree permit or a distinctive tree permit, as applicable;
“arborist” means an expert in the care and maintenance of trees and includes an arborist qualified by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, a certified arborist with the International Society of Arboriculture, a consulting arborist registered with the American Society of Consulting Arborists, a Registered Professional Forester or a person with other similar qualifications as approved by the General Manager;
“boundary tree” means a tree, of which any part of the trunk is growing across one or more property lines;
“building permit” means a building permit issued pursuant to the Building Code Act, 1992, S.O. 1992, c. 23, as amended;
“caliper” means the above ground diameter or a distinct part of a nursery stock stem;
“camp” means to stay overnight and erect a structure, hut or tent for the purpose of providing shelter;
“cash value” means the monetary value of a replacement tree as determined by the General Manager;
“City” means the municipal corporation of the City of Ottawa or the geographic area of the City of Ottawa as the context requires;
“compensation value” means the monetary value, plus all applicable taxes, of the tree determined to be injured or destroyed or to be replaced, and to be calculated by the City in accordance with the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers (CTLA) Plant Appraisal Guide, or at a value determined by the General Manager and in effect at the time the injury took place, based on the tree as it existed prior to being injured or destroyed, further to Schedule “B”;
“condominium” means a corporation created upon registration of a declaration and description under the provisions of the Condominium Act, 1998, S.O. 1998, c. 19; (2011-418)
“Consent to Enter Permit” means written approval through which the General Manager gives permission for use of a municipal natural area;
“critical root zone” means the area of land within a radius of ten (10) cm from the trunk of a tree for every one (1) cm of trunk diameter;
“DBH” or “diameter at breast height” means the measurement of a trunk of a tree at a height of one hundred and thirty (130) cm from the ground;
“destroy” means to remove, cut down or in any other way damage a tree to such an extent that the tree cannot recover and it is deemed necessary to remove or cut down the tree, and “destruction” has a corresponding meaning;
“distinctive tree” means any tree located on private property with a DBH of 30 cm or greater, within the inner urban area (urban lands within the greenbelt), and with a DBH of 50 cm or greater, within the suburban area (urban lands between the greenbelt and the urban boundary), as identified in Schedule “F”;
“distinctive tree permit” means a permit issued by the General Manager authorizing the injury or destruction of a distinctive tree in accordance with this by-law;
“farming business” means a farming business within the meaning of the federal Income Tax Act, RSC 1985, c. 1 (5th Supp);
“forest access road” means a permanent road that provides access for service, emergency, and other vehicles through municipal conservation forests;
"General Manager" means the General Manager of the Public Works & Environmental Services Department or the General Manager of the Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development Department of the City of Ottawa, or their designate, except as otherwise specified in this by-law;
“good arboricultural practice” means the proper planting and care of trees in accordance with the standards set by the International Society of Arboriculture;
“good forestry practices” means the proper implementation of harvest, renewal and maintenance activities known to be appropriate for the forest and environmental conditions under which they are being applied and that minimize detriments to forest values including significant ecosystems, important fish and wildlife habitat, soil and water quality and quantity, forest productivity and health and aesthetics and recreational opportunities of the landscape;
“highway” means a common and public highway, street, avenue, parkway, driveway, square, place, bridge, viaduct, or trestle, any part of which is intended for, or used by, the general public for the passage of vehicles and includes the area between the lateral property lines thereof;
“infill development” means low rise residential development that is not subject to site plan control, plan of subdivision, or plan of condominium;
“injure” means to do any act that will harm a tree’s health in any manner, including failure to protect in accordance with standards set by the General Manager, and “injury” has a corresponding meaning;
“License of Occupation Agreement” means a written agreement through which the Director of Corporate Real Estate Office, on behalf of the City of Ottawa gives permission to a person for use of municipal property;
“motor vehicle” means a motor vehicle as defined in the Highway Traffic Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.8;
“motorized snow vehicle” means a motorized snow vehicle as defined in the Motorized Snow Vehicles Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. M.44;
“Municipal Act” means the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, as amended;
“multi-residential development” means land used for residential purposes that has seven or more self-contained units under a single ownership;
“municipal conservation forest” means a large City-owned landscape of contiguous forest in the rural area;
“municipal law enforcement officer” means a person appointed by Council to enforce the provisions of this by-law and who may be referred to as an Inspector or Officer;
“municipal natural area” means municipal property designated as a natural environment area, urban natural feature, rural natural feature, significant wetland or major open space in the City of Ottawa Official Plan and includes a municipal conservation forest, municipal greenspace and community woodland;
“municipal property” means any City-owned land and includes, but is not limited to, lands designated as municipal natural areas, parks and highways;
“municipal tree” means any tree, including a boundary tree, that is located completely or partially on municipal property;
“normal farm practice” means a practice that,
“off-road vehicle” means an off-road vehicle as defined in the Off-Road Vehicles Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.4;
“owner” means the registered owner on title of the land or the agent of the registered owner duly authorized by the registered owner in writing;
“park” means a playground, playing field, ball diamond, sports field, beach, recreation centre, community building, facility, square, garden, water, pedestrian walkway or any other area owned, leased or used by the City and devoted to active or passive recreation and includes any lane or walkway or public parking area leading thereto;
“person” means any individual, association, firm, partnership, corporation, agent or trustee and the heirs, executors or other legal representatives of a person to whom the context can apply according to law;
“Planning Act” means the Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13, as amended;
“plant” means any specimen, whether living or dead, of any species of flower, shrub or tree and includes any seed, spore, pollen or tissue culture of any such flower, shrub or tree;
“plant nursery” means the use of lands, buildings or structures, or portions thereof, where plants are grown for the purpose of retail or wholesale trade and which may include the accessory sale of soil, planting materials, fertilizers, garden equipment, ornaments and similar material;
“protect” means to prevent the injury or destruction of a tree;
“protected tree” means any tree indicated in this by-law as requiring an approval, a tree permit or a distinctive tree permit for its injury or destruction, and includes a retained tree;
“replacement tree” means the nursery stock used to replace a tree, being deciduous nursery stock with a minimum caliper of fifty (50) mm measured no less than fifteen (15) cm above ground level, or coniferous nursery stock no less than two hundred (200) cm in height as measured from ground level to midway between the tip of the leader and the uppermost whorl, or as otherwise approved by the General Manager;
“retained tree” means a tree that has been identified for retention and protection in an approved Tree Conservation Report or Tree Information Report and includes a tree for which an approval, a tree permit, or a distinctive tree permit has not been requested;
“rural area” means the lands shown on Schedule “A”, Rural Policy Plan, of the City’s Official Plan, as amended, or any successor schedule thereto;
“Stop Work Order” means an order issued pursuant to this by-law to stop the injury or destruction of trees;
“trail” means hiking trails, walking paths, snowshoeing paths, cross country ski trails and bicycle trails;
“tree” means any species of woody perennial plant, including its root system, which has reached or can reach a minimum height of four hundred and fifty (450) cm at physiological maturity;
“tree conservation report” means a report prepared by an arborist that contains information as required by Schedule “E”;
“tree information report” means a report prepared by an arborist that contains information as required by Schedule “C”;
“tree paint” means a specialized paint that is applied to a cut surface of a tree after pruning or that is used to mark trees for removal;
“tree permit” means a permit issued by the General Manager authorizing the injury or destruction of a tree in accordance with this by-law;
“urban area” means the lands shown on Schedule “B”, Urban Policy Plan, of the City’s Official Plan, as amended, or any successor schedule thereto and those lands within the hatched areas as shown on Schedule “A” inclusive to this by-law;
“waste” means paper, bottles, broken glass, cans, rags, garbage, any plant matter, animal carcass, rubbish, debris, or refuse.
The provisions of this Part shall apply to municipal trees.
For the purposes of this Part, “General Manager” means the General Manager of Public Works and Environmental Services.
No person shall plant a tree or install associated infrastructure on municipal property without the written approval of the General Manager.
The General Manager may approve the planting of a tree on municipal property subject to conditions as determined by the General Manager.
Unless authorized by the General Manager, no person shall:
No person shall carry out work within the critical root zone of a municipal tree that may result in injury or destruction to a municipal tree, including, but not limited to, grade changes and soil compaction.
Despite Section 12, work within the critical root zone of a municipal tree is permitted where the General Manager has issued written approval for such work.
An applicant for approval pursuant to Section 13 shall provide the following information to the General Manager:
The General Manager may require the person who has requested written approval pursuant to Section 13 to agree in writing to the following conditions prior to the commencement of the work:
No person shall fail to comply with the conditions of an approval issued by the General Manager pursuant to Section 15.
The General Manager may approve the removal from municipal property by the City of,
No person shall destroy a municipal tree.
Despite Section 18, the destruction of a municipal tree is permitted where the General Manager has issued a tree permit allowing for such destruction.
An applicant for a tree permit pursuant to Section 19 shall provide the following information in an application to the General Manager:
The General Manager shall review the complete tree permit application and may,
The General Manager may impose conditions on a tree permit including but not limited to the following conditions:
The General Manager may approve the removal of a tree from municipal property for the purpose of construction at the expense of the applicant, provided that the applicant:
The General Manager may approve the removal of a municipal tree from a highway where the municipal tree by its very existence denies an owner of a property abutting a highway access to such owner’s property provided that the owner of the property abutting the highway has requested the removal of the municipal tree and has provided evidence to the General Manager that no practical or economical option for access is possible, and has agreed to pay the City the compensation value of the municipal tree to be removed and the cash value of a replacement tree.
No permit holder shall fail to post the tree permit on the private property adjacent to the location of the tree to be removed:
Any tree planted or growing on municipal property contrary to the provisions hereof or contrary to access rights provided by any other municipal by-law may be removed by the General Manager without notice or recompense.
The provisions of this Part shall apply to municipal natural areas in the City.
No person shall, in a municipal natural area, unless approved by the General Manager:
No person shall, without a valid consent to enter permit, in a municipal natural area:
No person shall operate a motorized snow vehicle in a municipal natural area unless that person is a current member of a club with a valid License of Occupation agreement.
A written application for a consent to enter permit shall be made to the General Manager at least fifteen (15) days prior to the intended date of entry.
The consent to enter permit application shall include:
Upon receipt of an application for a consent to enter permit, the General Manager may issue a consent to enter permit provided that the person,
Where a License of Occupation Agreement applies to an activity, a consent to enter permit is not required.
The General Manager may attach such additional conditions to the consent to enter permit as deemed necessary to ensure public safety, to protect City property or to maintain the enjoyment of the municipal natural area for the public.
A consent to enter permit issued by the General Manager is valid only on the date or dates and for the specified activity shown on the consent to enter permit.
No holder of a consent to enter permit shall fail to comply with all applicable federal and provincial legislation and regulations and all applicable municipal by-laws.
No holder of a consent to enter permit shall fail to comply with the conditions of issuance of the consent to enter permit.
The provisions of this Part shall apply to trees with a DBH of 10 cm or greater, on privately-owned property that is within the urban area of the City, or within the lands identified in Schedules “G” to “O” inclusive annexed hereto as additional lands, and that is:
Despite Section 39, the provisions of this Part shall not apply to trees on properties greater than one hectare with existing condominiums or multi-residential developments.
For the purposes of this Part, General Manager means the General Manager of Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development.
No person shall injure or destroy or permit the injury or destruction of a tree.
Despite Section 42, the injury or destruction of a tree is permitted where the General Manager has issued a tree permit allowing for such injury or destruction, and where the injury or destruction is conducted in accordance with the conditions of the tree permit.
No person shall fail to protect a tree:
Any person who intends to injure or destroy a tree under this Part shall submit to the General Manager an application for a tree permit.
An applicant for a tree permit pursuant to Section 45 shall provide the following information in an application to the General Manager:
For a boundary tree, in addition to the requirements of Section 46, the applicant shall provide to the General Manager the written consent of the other property owner or owners to the application.
Despite Section 46, the General Manager may waive any of the requirements listed in Section 46 where the General Manager determines that the requirements do not apply.
The General Manager shall review the tree permit application and may,
The General Manager may issue a tree permit to injure or destroy trees where the tree conservation report demonstrates, to the satisfaction of the General Manager that,
The General Manager may impose conditions on a tree permit including but not limited to the following conditions:
Where a tree permit requires, as a condition, the planting of a replacement tree, the General Manager may impose the following requirements with respect to the replacement tree:
The General Manager may revoke a tree permit if,
No person shall knowingly furnish false information for the purposes of obtaining a tree permit.
The provisions of this Part shall apply to distinctive trees on the following properties within the urban area of the City:
Despite Section 55, the provisions of this Part shall not apply to properties subject to one of the following applications:
No person shall injure or destroy or permit the injury or destruction of a distinctive tree.
Despite Section 57, the injury or destruction of a distinctive tree is permitted where the General Manager has issued a distinctive tree permit allowing for such injury or destruction, and where the injury or destruction is carried out in accordance with the conditions of the distinctive tree permit.
No person shall fail to protect a distinctive tree:
Any person who intends to injure or destroy a distinctive tree shall submit to the General Manager an application for a distinctive tree permit.
An applicant for a distinctive tree permit pursuant to Section 60 shall provide the following information in the application to the General Manager:
Where a building permit application for infill development or a Committee of Adjustment application is made within the urban area, the owner or applicant shall submit a Tree Information Report with the required tree information shown on the grading plan and the plan for the site, as prescribed in Schedule “C”, in addition to the information contained in Section 61.
For a boundary tree, in addition to the requirements of Section 61, the applicant for any permit or approval under this by-law must provide the written consent of the other property owner or owners to the application.
Despite Section 61, the General Manager may waive any of the requirements listed in Section 61 where the General Manager determines that the requirements do not apply.
The General Manager shall review the application for a distinctive tree permit and may,
The General Manager may approve the issuance of a distinctive tree permit where the application demonstrates to the satisfaction the General Manager that,
The General Manager may impose conditions on a distinctive tree permit including but not limited to the following conditions:
Where a distinctive tree permit requires as a condition the planting of a replacement tree, the General Manager may impose the following conditions with respect to the replacement tree:
No permit holder shall fail to post the distinctive tree permit on the subject property,
The General Manager may revoke a distinctive tree permit where,
No person shall knowingly furnish false information for the purposes of obtaining a distinctive tree permit.
The provisions of this Part shall apply to all protected trees.
No person shall fail to protect a protected tree unless an approval, a tree permit or a distinctive tree permit has been issued by the General Manager in accordance with this by-law.
Where a tree is a protected tree, no person shall fail to implement the following tree protection measures, unless otherwise authorized by the General Manager:
Despite Subsection 74(1), if the General Manager determines the fenced tree protection area must be reduced to facilitate construction, mitigation measures shall be prescribed by an arborist and may include, but are not limited to;
Within the critical root zone of a protected tree, unless otherwise approved by the General Manager, no person shall:
Unless otherwise approved by the General Manager, no person shall:
An applicant for a permit or other approval under this by-law shall agree to indemnify and save harmless the City from any and all claims, demands, causes of action, losses, costs or damages that the City may suffer, incur or be liable for resulting from the issuance of a permit or approval under this by-law or from the performance or non-performance of the applicant under this by-law, whether with or without negligence on the part of the applicant, or the applicant’s employees, directors, contractors and agents.
If the applicant for a permit is a contractor or commercial developer, minimum liability insurance is,
If the applicant for a permit is not a contractor or commercial developer, minimum liability insurance is liability insurance subject to a limit of not less than $1,000,000 inclusive per occurrence for bodily injury, death, or damage to property, including loss of use thereof.
This by-law shall not apply in the following circumstances:
A tree permit or a distinctive tree permit is not required in the following circumstances where,
This by-law shall be enforced by a Municipal Law Enforcement Officer.
A Municipal Law Enforcement Officer may, at any reasonable time, enter and inspect any land to determine if this by-law or an order issued under this by-law has been complied with provided that the power of entry does not allow the Municipal Law Enforcement Officer to enter into any building on the land.
A Municipal Law Enforcement Officer may, in carrying out an inspection pursuant to Section 84, be accompanied by the General Manager, or designate, and any other person possessing expert or special knowledge necessary to assist the Municipal Law Enforcement Officer with their enforcement activities and may make examinations or take tests or samples necessary for the purposes of inspection.
A Municipal Law Enforcement Officer may require the production for inspection of the Tree Conservation Report or the Tree Information Report, as applicable, or other documents or things relevant to the inspection, and inspect and remove such reports, documents or things for the purpose of making copies or extracts.
A receipt shall be provided for any report, document or thing removed under Section 86 and the report, document or thing shall be promptly returned after the copies or extracts are made.
A Municipal Law Enforcement Officer may take photographs necessary for the purpose of the inspection.
No person or permit holder shall hinder or obstruct or attempt to hinder or obstruct the Municipal Law Enforcement Officer in the discharge of duties under this by-law.
Where the General Manager is satisfied that a contravention of this by-law has occurred, the General Manager may issue a stop work order requiring the person who contravened the by-law or that caused or permitted a contravention of the bylaw to cease the contravening activity.
The stop work order shall set out reasonable particulars of the contravention adequate to identify the contravention, the location of the contravention and the date by which there must be compliance with the stop work order.
No person or permit holder shall fail to comply with a stop work order issued by the General Manger pursuant to Section 90.
A stop work order issued under Section 90 may be served personally by the Municipal Law Enforcement Officer, may be sent by email, may be posted in a conspicuous place on the property where the contravention occurred or may be sent by registered mail to the person contravening the by-law.
Where a stop work order under this by-law is served personally by the Municipal Law Enforcement Officer, it shall be deemed to have been served on the date of delivery to the person or persons named.
The posting of the stop work order on the affected lands shall be deemed to be sufficient service of the stop work order on the person or corporation to whom the stop work order is directed on the date it is posted.
Where a stop work order issued under this by-law is sent by registered mail, it shall be sent to the last known address of,
and shall be deemed to have been served on the fifth day after the stop work order is mailed.
Every person who contravenes any provision of this bylaw is guilty of an offence.
Any person who hinders or obstructs a person lawfully carrying out the enforcement of this by-law is guilty of an offence.
A person who is convicted of an offence under this by-law is liable to:
Despite Section 97, every person who contravenes a stop work order that is issued pursuant to Section 90 of this by-law is guilty of a continuing offence as provided for in subsection 429(2), paragraph (a) of the Municipal Act, and is liable, for each day or part of a day that the offence continues, to a minimum fine of $500 and a maximum fine of $10,000, and the total of all daily fines for the offence is not limited to $100,000 as provided for in subsection 429(3), paragraph 2 of the Municipal Act.
When a person has been convicted of an offence under this by-law, the Ontario Court of Justice and any court of competent jurisdiction thereafter may, in addition to any penalty imposed on the person convicted, issue an order,
The Urban Tree Conservation By-law 2009-200, as amended, and the Municipal Trees and Natural Areas Protection By-law 2006-279, as amended are hereby repealed.
The repeal of the by-laws pursuant to Section 102 shall not affect any offence committed against the provisions of the repealed by-laws or any penalty incurred in respect thereof or any investigative procedure, including but not limited to any prosecution thereunder.
This by-law shall come into force and take effect on January 1, 2021.
This by-law shall be known as the “Tree Protection By-law”.
ENACTED AND PASSED this 25th day of November, 2020.
DEPUTY CITY CLERK/ MAYOR
For municipally owned trees, City wide, regardless of the reason for removal:
For wooded natural areas, or where there is a substantial number of trees to be removed, a different valuation method may be considered.
Application for removal associated with infill development:
Application for removal not associated with a Planning Act application or infill development:
For private property in the urban area, of any size, subject to a Planning Act application (Site Plan, Plan of Subdivision):
For private property in the urban area, of any size, where the tree removed is dead, hazardous, or an ash tree:
The objective for these guidelines is to provide clear guidance on the tree information required, based on the type of application, or tree removal situation, when applying for permission to remove a tree. These guidelines will assist consulting arborists, tree care specialists, registered professional foresters, etc., in the preparation of the Tree Information Report for required tree removals, and to confirm the adequate protection of trees to be retained.
The City’s Tree Protection By-law lays out when a Tree Information Report (TIR) or a Tree Conservation Report (TCR) is required. Generally, a TIR is required for the proposed removal of municipal trees city-wide, or of distinctive trees on properties one hectare or less in size within the City’s urban area. A TIR is also required for all Committee of Adjustment applications and Building Permit applications for infill development[1] within the City’s urban area.
The type of application, or the tree removal reason for a given site dictates if a TIR or a TCR is required. Figure 1, on the last page, will help determine which type of report is required.
Table 1 outlines the information required to be included within Tree Information Reports. For all Planning Act applications2, a Tree Conservation Report is required. Please refer to the TCR Guidelines in Schedule E of the Tree Protection By-law. Following the table, detailed information for each element is described.
The submission of a Tree Information Report shall occur at the earliest application for any proposed tree removals or works that may impact trees in any way. A TIR is to be submitted as a part of the full application package for infill development. The TIR application form shall be completed, and all other required information must be attached.
The City of Ottawa reserves the right to request further information due to the complexity of the work to be performed and/or deny the application if the submitted Tree Information Report is deemed unsatisfactory by the General Manager. Where the Tree Information Report submission is related to infill development or other construction projects requiring approvals, tree permits will be issued in conjunction with the development approval (eg. building permit, demolition permit, pool enclosure, etc.). However, these other approvals do not in themselves convey permission to remove trees.
For Building Permits for infill development: Where there are no trees on the site or neighbouring properties which could be impacted by the proposed work, a statement on the grading plan or site plan that there are no trees on the site must be included.
Exemptions: Where trees are an immediate threat to public health and safety or qualify for other exemptions listed in Part VI of the Tree Protection By-law, no report is required.
For both the TIR-short and TIR-full, complete the Tree Information Report form with the following information:
Contact Information for the Owner, Arborist, and Contractor:
Please provide name, address, telephone number and email address for the property owner, the arborist, and, if known at the time of application, the contractor.
Tree Information:
Specific information about the tree(s) on site is required and shall be provided in a table format (see below). The tree # must correlate to the map provided with the report.
| Tree # | Species | Size (DBH4) | Ownership | Condition of tree | Client’s reason for removal | Arborist recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Species: Identify the tree(s) impacted by common English name and botanical name.
Size: For each tree, the diameter at breast height (DBH) must be provided in centimetres. Measurements must be accurate.
TIR-Short – List/Describe the location of tree(s) in relation to existing and any proposed structures, lot boundaries, or relative proximity to other tree(s). For example, Southeast corner of rear lot, between fence and shed.
TIR-Full – All trees on site must be listed/described, including boundary and adjacent trees with Critical Root Zones extending into the site. The tree locations must be plotted on the grading and site plan, as applicable, by a surveyor or GPS.
Ownership: The ownership for each tree must be listed within the report (e.g. private, City, boundary5, adjacent6). If ownership is unknown, a survey may be required. For trees on a shared property line, list the address it is shared with.
Condition: Provide detailed information about the condition of the tree(s). Applications for tree removal based on the condition must provide greater detail on the conditions noted and may require additional documentation such as tree risk assessments (from a reputable source) to support the arborist’s recommendation. The determination of the condition will be based on some of the following factors, and should also consider the level of risk associated with the condition and whether any mitigation options are available:
Client’s Reason for Removal: Provide client’s reason for requesting tree removal. Examples could include, but are not limited to:
Arborist’s Recommendation: Provide arborist’s recommendation for the tree(s), as well as any protection and/or mitigation measures to be implemented for retained trees.
TIR – Short – The arborist must provide recommendation for the course of action for the tree(s).
TIR-Full – The arborist must identify and recommend which tree(s) will be removed and which will be retained/protected, based on their assessment of the work proposed on site and the distance between the tree(s) and excavation. Recommendations should also include changes to the proposed work that would allow for tree retention. For retained/protected trees, mitigation measures must be illustrated and noted on the grading plan and site plan, as appropriate.
For trees that are to be retained and protected, the tree protection measures outlined in Part VI of the Tree Protection By-law must be implemented. Please also refer to the City’s Tree Protection Specification. If the full CRZ cannot be protected, mitigation measures must be described in the report, shown on the plan and implemented accordingly.
Photographs: Provide photographs of each tree to be removed, showing the condition of the tree and reason for removal, as applicable.
Plans:
TIR-Short – A plan may be required depending on the level of complexity of the work to be performed.
TIR-Full – Tree removal and tree protection information must include:
All this information must be overlaid on the grading plan and site plan, and the plan must be updated with any changes made through the associated review process. Full TIRs without plans will not be accepted.
Tree Retention and Protection (TIR-Full):
Where trees are to be retained and protected, tree protection measures must be provided in the report and illustrated on the plan (accounting for physical constraints), mitigation strategies to be implemented prior to construction and maintained for the full duration of construction. Please refer Part VI of the City of Ottawa’s Tree Protection By-law for the required tree protection measures.
Boundary tree confirmation (TIR-Full):
Where trees that are jointly owned are impacted, consent from the other property owner must be obtained. The signature of the other property owner must be included on the application form to confirm consent. Where an agreement cannot be reached, adjustments to the proposed plan may be required. A Tree Removal Permit will not be issued without each owner’s consent.
Tree Replacement Information (TIR-Full): Any replacement planting must take place after the completion of work to be done or following construction project completion. For each replacement tree, provide:
The planting of large shade trees using a variety of species is encouraged to fulfill the objective of a diverse, sustainable urban forest.
Please refer to Schedule B of the City’s Tree Protection By-law for tree compensation requirements.
When planted, the replacement tree must be a minimum of 50 mm measured no less than 15 cm above ground level for deciduous trees, and no less than 200 cm in height as measured from ground level to midway between the tip of the leader and the uppermost whorl, or as otherwise approved by the General Manager.
Additional information:
Depending on the complexity of the work to be performed, other reports may be required. For example, a Tree Risk Assessment from a viable source (ISA, Arboriculture Canada, etc.) could be necessary to justify a tree removal, a Landscape Plan should be included to show any replacement/new planting, and a Butternut Health Assessment could be required if Butternut trees are on site.
Federal and Provincial Regulations:
The arborist is responsible to abide by all Federal and Provincial Regulations such as the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Birds Convention Act, etc. when evaluating and recommending best course of action for any site. If any Federal and Provincial Regulations apply to the specific site application, related permits or mitigation needs must be noted.
Self-Declaration Statement:
For both TIR-short and TIR-full, the application form must be signed by the property owner, arborist and contractor (if known at time of application), which confirms that all parties agree with the information provided and will respect the proposed work and mitigation measures. By signing the application, you are also acknowledging and understanding that an inspector may enter the property at a reasonable time for the purpose of carrying out an inspection. You also acknowledge and understand that through failure to abide by the recommendations of the approved Tree Information Report, damaging or destructing trees identified for protection, you will be responsible to bear fully the cost of compensation, removal, and replacement.
It is the owner/applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all protection and mitigation measures described in the TIR are followed, and where necessary are done so under the supervision of an arborist.
Figure 1: Flow chart to determine what kind of tree report is required for a permit to remove a tree
For municipally owned trees, City wide:
For private property in the urban area, regardless of property size:
The importance of protecting vegetation cover on sites subject to development is outlined in the Official Plan (Section 4.7.2). The Tree Conservation Report (TCR) provides essential information that must be integrated with all plans for a site, including the grading, servicing and landscape plans, to ensure that trees are retained in development scenarios, where feasible, and that new trees will be accommodated and planted to contribute to the City’s forest cover target and to address a site’s tree loss.
The purpose of the Tree Conservation Report is to demonstrate how tree cover will be retained on the site, including mature trees, stands of trees, and hedgerows, using a design with nature approach to planning and engineering. A design with nature approach incorporates the natural features of a site into the design and engineering of a proposed development. This includes, but is not limited to, measures such as retention of vegetation, consideration of wildlife habitats, and respect for natural drainage patterns.
The report will consider natural features not only on the study site, but on the surrounding landscape as well. This will provide context for the site and show natural area representation surrounding the given site.
The report will identify and describe the vegetative cover on the site prior to development. It will provide a professional opinion on the priority of treed areas to be conserved. It will show how the priority features have been incorporated into the proposed development and how they will be adequately protected for the long-term.
The Tree Conservation Report Guidelines are meant to be applied in coordination with other City of Ottawa guidelines including the ‘Significant Woodlands Guidelines for Identification, Evaluation and Impact Assessment’ and the ‘Environmental Impact Statement Guidelines’.
The Tree Conservation Report will include the following elements:
Information to be included with Tree Conservation Report:
Schedules G to O [ PDF 3.171 MB ]
