Trees & tree removal — Perth County, Ontario

Do I need a permit to cut down a tree?

In the County of Perth County, Ontario, permit required: True; applies to private property: True; protected threshold: Trees in Woodlands (≥1 ha); species-specific minimum diameter/circumference thresholds in Schedule "A" (e.g., Species A at 46 cm point of measurement: diameter ≥46 cm; Species C at 46 cm point of measurement: diameter ≥23 cm); Woodland defined by tree density (e.g., 250 trees >20 cm DBH per hectare); replacement required: Court may order Person to rehabilitate the land or to plant or replant trees in such manner and within such period as the court considers appropriate, and to maintain the replanted trees as appropriate, including any silvicultural treatment necessary to re-establish the trees. Source: By-law 4075-2026 - Regulate the Destruction or Injuring of Trees in Woodlands in the County of Perth, verified 2026-08-29.

By-law 4075-2026 - Regulate the Destruction or Injuring of Trees in Woodlands in the County of Perth adopted bylaw
permit required True s. 4(1): "received a valid Compliance Certificate issued under this By-law"
applies to private property True s. 3: "no Person ... shall destroy or injure ... any living tree located in a Woodland within the County"
protected threshold Trees in Woodlands (≥1 ha); species-specific minimum diameter/circumference thresholds in Schedule "A" (e.g., Species A at 46 cm point of measurement: diameter ≥46 cm; Species C at 46 cm point of measurement: diameter ≥23 cm); Woodland defined by tree density (e.g., 250 trees >20 cm DBH per hectare) s. 2(1)(hh) (Woodland definition); Schedule "A" to By-law No. 4075-2026
replacement required Court may order Person to rehabilitate the land or to plant or replant trees in such manner and within such period as the court considers appropriate, and to maintain the replanted trees as appropriate, including any silvicultural treatment necessary to re-establish the trees s. 14(4)
fine range First conviction: up to $1,000.00 per tree to maximum $100,000.00; subsequent conviction: not less than $5,000.00 and not more than lesser of $1,000.00 per tree or $100,000.00; offences under s.6, s.8, s.13: up to $25,000.00 first conviction, up to $50,000.00 subsequent s. 14(1)(a), s. 14(1)(b), s. 14(2), s. 14(3)
scout note

County-wide woodland tree-cutting by-law (all lower-tier munis delegated their Municipal Act s.135 authority to the County): permit/compliance-certificate process for injuring/destroying trees in woodlands, with agricultural exemptions; replaces By-laws 3557-2016 and 3731-2019.

Machine-readable: trees.json · Official website: http://www.countyofperth.on.ca/ · Last verified 2026-08-29 · Trees & tree removal in other municipalities