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1
THE CITY OF VAUGHAN
BY-LAW
TREE PROTECTION
(Consolidated Version - Enacted as By-law 177-2025)
Last consolidated on December 2, 2025. City of
Vaughan
by-laws
are
provided
online
for
convenient
public
reference.
By-laws
are
consolidated on an ongoing basis, but recent
amendments may not be reflected in the latest
consolidated version. Check the Amendment
History to get a complete listing of all pertinent
regulations. For further information contact the
Office of the Director and Chief Licensing Officer.
A By-law to regulate the planting, maintenance and removal of trees on public
and private property in the City of Vaughan and to repeal By-laws 052-2018,
258-83, 95-2005, 185-2007, 205-2007 and 229-2005.
WHEREAS section 8(1) of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25 ("Municipal Act")
provides that powers of a municipality shall be interpreted broadly as to confer broad
authority on the municipality to (a) enable the municipality to govern its affairs as it
considers appropriate, and (b) enhance the municipality's ability to respond to municipal
issues;
AND WHEREAS section 11(2) of the Municipal Act provides that a lower-tier
municipality may pass by-laws respecting the economic, social and environmental
well-being of the municipality, including respecting climate change;
AND WHEREAS the Regional Municipality of York ("York Region") enacted the
Forest Conservation By-law 2013-68, as amended, to prohibit or regulate the
destruction or injuring of trees in Woodlands and Woodlots in the York Region;
AND WHEREAS section 135(1) of the Municipal Act without limiting sections 9, 10 and
11 and subject to a by-law passed by an upper-tier municipality, provides for a lower-tier
municipality to prohibit or regulate the destruction or injuring of trees;
AND WHEREAS section 425 of the Municipal Act provides for a municipality to pass by-
laws providing that a person who contravenes a by-law of the municipality passed under
the Act is guilty of an offence;
AND WHEREAS section 426 of the Municipal Act provides that no person shall hinder
or obstruct, or attempt to hinder or obstruct, any person who is exercising a power or
performing a duty under this Act or under a by-law passed under this Act;
2
AND WHEREAS section 429 of the Municipal Act provides for a municipality to establish
a system of fines for offences under a by-law of the municipality passed under this Act;
AND WHEREAS section 434.1 of the Municipal Act provides that a municipality may
require a person to pay an administrative penalty if the municipality is satisfied that the
person has failed to comply with a by-law of the municipality passed under the Municipal
Act;
AND WHEREAS section 436 of the Municipal Act provides for a municipality to pass
by-laws that authorize it to enter on land at any reasonable time for the purpose of
carrying out an inspection to determine if a by-law of the municipality is being complied
with, or to determine if an order or direction of the municipality made under the Act or
made under the by-law is complied with, and may require information, inspect
documents and take samples;
AND WHEREAS section 444 of the Municipal Act, provides that where a municipality
is satisfied that a contravention of a by-law of the municipality passed under this Act
has occurred, the municipality may make an order requiring the person who
contravened the by-law or who caused or permitted the contravention or the owner or
occupier of the land on which the contravention occurred to discontinue the
contravening activity; [Added by section 1.a. of By-law 251-2025 on November 25,
2025]
AND WHEREAS the Council of City of Vaughan has enacted Tree By-law 052-2018
(Tree Protection By-law), for the purpose of protecting the municipality's tree canopy,
regulates the removal of trees within the City, which is being replaced by this By-law;
AND WHEREAS the City of Vaughan enacted by-law 229-2005, which states that the
Regional Municipality of York ("York Region") has jurisdiction over woodlots in the City
of Vaughan (the "City"), which York Region's Forest Conservation By-law 2013-68, as
amended, defines as, "land at least 0.2 hectare in area and no greater than 1 hectare in
area, with at least:
(i)
200 trees, of any size, per 0.2 hectare;
(ii)
150 trees, measuring over five (5) centimetres DBH, per 0.2 hectare;
(iii)
100 trees, measuring over twelve (12) centimetres DBH, per 0.2 hectare; or
(iv)
50 trees, measuring over twenty (20) centimetres DBH, per 0.2 hectare;
3
but does not include a cultivated fruit or nut orchard, or a plantation established and
maintained for the purpose of producing Christmas trees or nursery stock";
AND WHEREAS the Tree Protection By-law advises that City Tree Protection By-law
does not apply to trees that are regulated by York Region;
AND WHEREAS Vaughan's City Council has directed that the City should now reacquire
jurisdiction of woodlots within the municipal boundaries;
AND WHEREAS the Council of the City of Vaughan has adopted an Urban Forest
Management Plan and Woodland Management Strategy prioritizing the protection of
trees for generations to come as one of five over-arching goals;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of The Corporation of the City of Vaughan ENACTS AS
FOLLOWS:
Table of Contents
1.0
Authority and Short Title .............................................................................................. 3
2.0
Applicability and Scope ................................................................................................ 3
3.0
Definitions and Interpretation ....................................................................................... 5
4.0
Prohibited Activities .................................................................................................... 12
5.0 Encroachment of Trees Onto Public Lands ............................................................... 13
6.0
Tree Permits ................................................................................................................ 13
6.1
Tree Protection Protocol and Tree Protection Agreements..................................... 15
7.0
Duties of Permit Holders ............................................................................................ 16
8.0
Authority of the Director of Forestry ......................................................................... 17
9.0 Enforcement Powers ................................................................................................... 17
10.0 Recovery of Costs for Remedial Action by the City .................................................. 19
11.0 Offences and Penalties ............................................................................................... 19
12.0 Administrative Penalties .............................................................................................. 20
13.0 Severability .................................................................................................................... 20
14.0 Indemnification ............................................................................................................. 20
15.0 Designation .................................................................................................................. 20
16.0 Schedules ...................................................................................................................... 20
17.0 Repeal and Amendment of Other By-laws .................................................................. 21
18.0 Transition ...................................................................................................................... 21
19.0 Force and Effect............................................................................................................ 21
Schedule 1 Administrative Penalties .................................................................................... 24
Schedule 2 Tree Replacement Ratios ................................................................................... 24
1.0
Authority and Short Title
1.
The By-law shall be known and referenced as the "Tree Protection By-law".
2.0
Applicability and Scope
4
1.
This By-law applies to all properties and Public Lands within the boundaries of
the City.
2.
Despite any prohibitions or restrictions in this By-law, its provisions do not
apply to:
(a)
any Trees that are regulated under York Region's Forest Conservation By-
law, except for Woodlots; or
(b)
any activities or matters undertaken by the City, York Region, Toronto
and Region Conservation Authority, or any other government authority, or
conservation authority.
3.
In accordance with section 135(12) of the Municipal Act, this by-law does not
apply to:
(a)
activities or matters undertaken by a municipality or a local board of a
municipality;
(b)
activities or matters undertaken under a licence issued under the Crown
Forest Sustainability Act, 1994;
(c)
the injuring or Destruction of Trees by a Person licensed under
the Surveyors Act to engage in the practice of cadastral surveying, or his or
her agent, while making a survey;
(d)
the injuring or Destruction of Trees imposed after December 31, 2002, as a
condition to the approval of a site plan, a plan of subdivision or a consent
under section 41, 51 or 53, respectively, of the Planning Act or as a
requirement of a site plan agreement or subdivision agreement entered into
under those sections;
(e)
the injuring or Destruction of Trees imposed after December 31, 2002, as a
condition to a development permit authorized by regulation made under
section 70.2 of the Planning Act or as a requirement of an agreement
entered into under the regulation;
(f)
the injuring or Destruction of Trees by a transmitter or distributor, as those
terms are defined in section 2 of the Electricity Act, 1998, for the purpose of
constructing and maintaining a transmission system or a distribution
system, as those terms are defined in that section;
(g)
the injuring or Destruction of Trees undertaken on land described in a
5
licence for a pit or quarry or a permit for a wayside pit or wayside quarry
issued under the Aggregate Resources Act; or
(h)
the injuring or Destruction of Trees undertaken on land in order to lawfully
establish and operate or enlarge any pit or quarry on land,
(i)
that has not been designated under the Aggregate Resources Act or a
predecessor of that Act; and
(ii)
on which a pit or quarry is a permitted land use under a by-law passed
under section 34 of the Planning Act.
3.0
Definitions and Interpretation
1.
In this By-law, unless the context otherwise requires, words imparting the singular
number shall include the plural, and words imparting the masculine gender shall
include the feminine and further, the converse of the foregoing also applies
where the context requires.
2.
Wherever a word is used in this By-law with its first letter capitalized and the
whole word is italicized, the term is being used as it is defined in 3.0(4) of this By-
law. Where any word appears in ordinary case, the commonly applied English
language meaning is intended.
3.
Any reference to a statute, regulation, by-law or other legislation shall include
such statute, regulation, by-law or legislation as amended, re-enacted, replaced,
or superseded.
4.
For the purposes of this By-law:
"Applicant" means a Person seeking to obtain a Tree Permit or Tree Protection
Agreement and who, either personally or through an Authorized Agent, makes
such an Application. For clarity, an Applicant shall always include the Owner of
the property to which the Application pertains; [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law
251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
"Application" means an application for a Tree Permit or a Tree Protection Agreement;
[Amended by section 1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
"Arborist" means a Person who has an Arborist certification, or equivalent,
through by the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, the
International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), the American Society of Consulting
6
Arborists (ASCA), or is a Registered Professional Forester as defined in the
Professional Foresters Act, 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 18;
"Arborist Report" means a report prepared by an Arborist or Landscape Architect
which provides details on the location, species, size, condition, structural integrity,
impacts of construction, mitigation recommendations and any other information
required by the Director of Forestry regarding a Tree(s) to be Destroyed, Injured
or removed, in accordance with the American National Standards Institute, ANSI
300 Tree Care standards;
"Authorized Agent" means a Person authorized in writing by an Applicant or
Permit Holder to act on behalf of such Applicant or Permit Holder, such as for the
purpose of making an Application or otherwise complying with the provisions of
this By-law;
"Base Diameter" is a measurement used when a Tree has been cut down to less
than 1.37 m in height above the existing grade, and means the measurement of
the Diameter of the trunk of a Tree from outside the bark at the existing grade of
the ground adjoining its base;
"City" means the Corporation of the City of Vaughan, and includes employees and
agents acting on the Corporation's behalf;
"Council" means the Council of the City;
"Dangerous" with respect to this By-law, means a situation in which there appears
to be an immediate threat to property or life;
"Dead" means a Tree that has no living tissue;
"Destroy" means to remove, cut down or in any other way damage a Tree to such
an extent that the Tree, as deemed by the Director of Forestry, cannot recover
and it is necessary to remove or cut down the Tree, and "Destruction" has a
corresponding meaning; [Added by section 1.b. of By-law 251-2025 on
November 25, 2025]
"Diameter" with respect to a Tree, means the measurement at 1.37 metres above
existing grade of the ground adjoining its base, outside the bark, of:
(a)
where there is only one trunk, the diameter of the trunk of a Tree; or
(b)
where there are multiple trunks on a Tree, the square root of the sum of
7
the diameters of the three largest trunks squared;
"Director of Enforcement" means the Director and Chief Licensing Officer of By-
law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services, or his or her designate;
"Director of Forestry" means the Director of Parks, Forestry and Horticultural
Operations, or his or her designate;
"Dying" means a Tree that is infected by a lethal pathogen or insect infestations or
where 70% or more of its crown is Dead;
"Emergency Work" means the work necessary to terminate an immediate threat to
life or property;
"Fees and Charges By-law" refers to the City Fees and Charges By-law 224-2023;
"Forest Conservation By-law" refers to York Region's Forest Conservation By-law,
2013-68;
"Golf Course" to mean an area of land laid out for golf with a series of holes, which
include any tees, fairways, putting greens and natural or artificial hazards;
"Heritage Tree" means a Tree designated under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage
Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. O.18 or Trees recognized as heritage Trees by the Heritage
Tree Program of Forests Ontario;
"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;
"Injure" means any act that may harm a Tree's health including abuse, attaching,
burning, cutting, carving, damaging, painting, pasting, peeling, pulling up,
removing, scraping, tacking, trimming, or any other act deemed by the Director of
Forestry as having the potential to harm a Tree's health, and "Injury" has a
corresponding meaning; [Added by section 1.b. of By-law 251-2025 on November
25, 2025]
"Landscape Architect" means a Person registered as a Landscape Architect under
the provisions of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects Act, 1984, S.O.
1984, c. P412;
"Lot" means a parcel of land having specific boundaries which is capable of legal
transfer;
8
"Municipal Act" refers to Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25;
"Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer" means a Person appointed by the City as
a Municipal Law Enforcement Officer, pursuant to section 15 of the Police
Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.15 or section 55 of the Community Safety and
Policing Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c. 1, Sched. 1, to enforce the provisions of this By-
law;
"Natural Heritage Feature" means an area of environmental significance in which
development and use may be restricted by governmental agencies, such as, but
not limited to some wetlands, habitats for fish, wildlife, threatened and endangered
species, valley lands, woodlands, woodlots, sand barrens, savannahs, and
tallgrass prairies;
"Nursery" means a Lot on which the principal business of selling plants, shrubs
and Trees occurs;
"Order" means a verbal or written direction by the Director of Enforcement or a
Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer on behalf of the City, requiring a Person to
cease a contravening activity and/or correct the contravention. Where a verbal
direction is given, it shall be followed up with a written direction within 3 business
days;
"Owner" means the registered Owner of a Lot;
"Permit Holder" means a Person who has been granted a Tree Permit or
Tree Protection Agreement; [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on
November 25, 2025]
"Person" includes a natural individual, a corporation, partnership, proprietorship or
other form of business association and the heirs, executors, administrators,
successors and assigns, or other legal representatives thereof, or a receiver or
mortgagee in possession;
"Private Boundary Tree" means a Tree on Private Property where any part of its
trunk or root flare grows or encroaches beyond a defined Lot line;
"Private Property" means any property not owned by the City, York Region,
Provincial or Federal Government, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority or
a Crown Corporation;
"Pruning" means the appropriate removal of the live branches or limbs of a Tree in
9
accordance with good arboricultural practices, in which either not more than 25%
of the branches or limbs are removed, or in which more than 25% of the live
branches or limbs on a Tree are removed as part of an annual Pruning program;
"Public Lands" means Lands owned by the City, York Region, provincial or federal
government, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority or a Crown Corporation,
and shall include, but not be limited to, the boulevard, any Highway, lane, alley,
square, place, viaduct or trestle, waterway or bridge, park, Woodlands, Woodlots,
greenbelt, storm water management facility, open space, municipal Golf Course or
cemetery, multi-use pathway, and all parts thereof;
"Public Tree" means any Tree which has 50 percent or more of its main stem
situated on Public Lands;
"Region", "Regional" or "York Region" mean the Regional Municipality of York and
includes employees and authorized agents acting on its behalf;
"Significant Tree" means any Tree with a Diameter of eighty (80) centimeters or
greater;
"Tree" means a self-supporting woody plant which has reached or will likely reach
a height of at least 4.5 metres at maturity;
"Tree Impact Report" means a document prepared by an Arborist or Landscape
Architect which explains what the impact of an action or actions(s) has had or
would likely have on a Tree or Trees, including Tree removal and/or Injury to
Trees;
"Tree Management Plan" means a document prepared by an Arborist or
Landscape Architect which includes:
(a)
an Arborist Report and map of all Trees on a Lot;
(b)
in the case of construction-related Applications, an Arborist Report and
map of all Trees within 6 meters of the Lot;
(c)
the manner and timing in which any Injury or Destruction of Trees will be
carried out;
(d)
the qualifications and contact information of all Persons authorized to Injure
or Destroy Trees;
(e)
the plans for replacement Tree(s) and planting(s), including species, size,
location, and timing of those replacements, and whether the locations will
10
change, and why;
(f)
all measures that will be taken to mitigate the direct and indirect effects of
the Destruction of the Tree on other nearby Trees, properties, water
bodies, natural areas and other components of the ecosystem; and
(g)
other information as directed by staff;
"Tree Nursery" to mean an area where plants are grown for the purpose of
transplanting, for use as stocks for budding and grafting, and/or for sale;
"Tree Nursery Owner" to mean the Owner of a Tree Nursery;
"Tree Nursery Operator" to mean the operator of a Tree Nursery;
"Tree Permit" means a permit issued by the City pursuant to this By-law to
Injure or Destroy or otherwise remove a Tree on Private Property within the
City or a permit issued to approve Tree protection measures pursuant to the
Tree Protection Protocol; [Amended by section 1.b. of By-law 251-2025 on
November 25, 2025]
"Tree Protection Agreement" means an agreement that identifies all Trees on a Lot
that are to be preserved and sets out any other measures that the City deems
appropriate and made pursuant to:
(a)
a development agreement, spine servicing agreement, site plan
agreement or subdivision agreement between the City and a
Person; or
(b)
permission by the City, including but not limited to a building permit, site
alteration permit, pool permit, demolition permit or a cultural heritage
permit;
"Tree Protection Protocol" refers to the City document which:
(a)
identifies the roles and responsibilities of City departments regarding
Tree protection, specifically department protocols for Tree
protection, Injury and removal permitting, Tree replacements and
compensation;
(b)
provides direction on the technical report contents required for staff
to assess how proposed development will impact the viability of
existing Trees in the landscape, and preservation methods; and
11
(c)
establishes guidelines for a Tree Protection Agreement that will
secure Tree preservation, Tree compensation and Tree removal
works, and creates a resource for both City staff and external
stakeholders on how to manage the preservation, removal and
replanting of Tree City-wide;
"Tree Protection Zone" means the minimum setback required, as defined in
the By-law, to maintain the structural integrity of the Tree's anchor roots,
based on generally accepted arboricultural principles;
"Tree Removal Impact Review" is a City investigation of Trees that were
removed without obtaining a Tree Permit or Tree Protection Agreement, for
the purpose of determining remedial action, such as Tree replacement;
[Amended by section 1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
"Tree Replacement Ratio" means the number of 5-centimetre caliper Trees
required to be planted to offset the environmental impact of Tree removal,
which is based on the Diameter of Trees as follows, as per the chart in
Schedule 2;
"Trees Grown for Sale" means Trees grown by a Nursery for the purpose of sale.
"Woodlands" has the same meaning as in York Region's Forest Conservation By-
law, and means land at least 1 hectare in area with at least:
(a)
1000 Trees, of any size, per hectare;
(b)
750 Trees, measuring over five (5) centimetres Diameter, per hectare;
(c)
500 Trees, measuring over twelve (12) centimetres Diameter, per hectare;
or
(d)
250 Trees, measuring over twenty (20) centimetres Diameter, per hectare;
but does not include a cultivated fruit or nut orchard, or a plantation established
and maintained for the purpose of producing Christmas Trees or Nursery stock;
"Woodlot" means land that is between 0.2 and 1 hectare in area, that is not a
cultivated fruit or nut orchard, a Tree Nursery, and that has at least:
(a)
200 trees, of any size, per 0.2 hectare;
(b)
150 trees, having a Diameter or Base Diameter of over five (5)
centimetres, per 0.2 hectare;
(c)
100 trees, having a Diameter or Base Diameter of over twelve (12)
12
centimetres, per 0.2 hectare; or
(d)
50 trees, having a Diameter or Base Diameter of over twenty (20), per 0.2
hectare.
4.0
Prohibited Activities
1.
No Person shall do or cause or allow to be done, any of the following to a
Public Tree:
(a)
Injure, Destroy, or Prune it or a part thereof unless permitted by a Tree
Permit or Tree Protection Agreement;
(b)
attach any object to all or any part of it including, without limiting the
generality of the foregoing, a birdhouse, cable, light, nail, poster, rope,
sign, twine, wire or other contrivance; or
(c)
pour any substance that will Injure it within its drip line, being the area at
the outer edge of the spread of its branches. [Amended by section 1.d.
of By-law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
2.
No Person shall do any of the following unless permitted by a Tree Permit
or Tree Protection Agreement issued pursuant to this By-law:
(a)
Injure or cause or permit Injury to a Tree that is not a Public Tree, with
a Diameter of twenty (20) centimeters or more, or having a Base
Diameter of twenty (20) centimeters or more; or
(b)
Destroy, cause or permit the Destruction of a Tree that is not a Public
Tree, with a Diameter of twenty (20) centimeters or more, or having a Base
Diameter of twenty (20) centimeters or more. [Amended by section 1.e. of
By-law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
3.
If a Tree is Injured or Destroyed, the Property Owner and, if applicable the
Applicant or Permit Holder, shall be presumed to have permitted such activity,
which presumption may be rebutted by evidence to the contrary.
4.
Despite 4.0(2), a Tree Permit is not required:
(a)
for Emergency Work;
(b)
for the Pruning of a Tree;
(c)
for the removal of Dead branches;
(d)
to Injure or Destroy Trees located on rooftop gardens, interior courtyards, or
13
solariums; or
(e)
for a Tree Nursery Owner or Tree Nursery Operator or for the Injuring or
Destroying of Trees Grown for Sale;
(f)
for a Golf Course owner or Golf Course operator to Injure or Destroy a Tree
on a Golf Course if it is to support the health of surrounding vegetation or
enhance the playability of the Golf Course. [Amended by section 1.c. of By-
law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
5.
No Person shall undertake any unauthorized activities, including but not limited to
the placing of materials, vehicles, landscape features, equipment or other things,
within a Tree Protection Zone of a Tree, in which the Tree Protection Zone is as
follows:
Diameter of Tree
Minimum Tree Protection Zone for Public and Private Trees
<10 cm
1.2 metres
Diameter of Tree
Minimum Tree Protection Zone for Public and Private Trees
10 - 29 cm
1.8 metres
30 - 40 cm
2.4 metres
41 - 50 cm
3.0 metres
51 - 60 cm
3.6 metres
61 - 70 cm
4.2 metres
71 - 80 cm
4.8 metres
81 - 90 cm
5.4 metres
91 - 100 cm
6.0 metres
>100 cm
6 metres plus 6 cm protection for each additional 1 cm in diameter
5.0 Encroachment of Trees Onto Public Lands
1. The City may Prune any portions of Trees on Private Property that extend over a
Highway or other Public Lands and may remove any decayed or Dangerous Tree
that has been deemed so by the Director of Forestry.
6.0
Tree Permits [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
1.
An Applicant or Authorized Agent who applies for a Tree Permit shall submit to
the Director of Forestry the following: [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law 251-
14
2025 on November 25, 2025]
(a)
a completed Application, in a form satisfactory to the Director of Forestry;
(b)
a plan or drawing of the Lot, to the satisfaction of the Director of Forestry,
illustrating which Trees are to be Injured or Destroyed;
(c)
payment of the required fees as prescribed in Fees and Charges By-law;
(d)
an Arborist Report, if required by the Director of Forestry;
(e)
for Injury or Destruction of a Private Boundary Tree, the written consent of
neighbouring Owner(s);
(f)
a Tree Management Plan, if required by the Director of Forestry; and
(g)
any other documentation, reports or information required by the Director of
Forestry.
2.
A Tree Permit shall be valid for only six (6) months from the date of
issuance. In certain circumstances, a Tree Permit may be revoked,
extended or modified at the discretion of the Director of Forestry.
The City may issue a Tree Permit for the Injury or Destruction of Trees
where the Director of Forestry has determined that:
(a)
the Tree is Dead, Dying or poses a health and safety concern;
(b)
the Tree is not a Significant Tree;
(c)
the Tree is not a Heritage Tree;
(d)
the Tree removal or Injury is in accordance with the Tree Protection
Protocol;
(e)
the Application is complete, the required fee has been paid, and the
documentation and other information required has been provided to the
satisfaction of the Director of Forestry;
(f)
the information received from the Applicant is true and correct;
(g)
an alternative planting plan approved by the Director of Forestry has been
submitted if required;
(h)
environmentally sensitive areas, ecological systems, natural landforms or
contours will be adequately protected and preserved;
(i)
the removal of one or more of the subject Trees will not have a negative
impact on erosion or flood control;
(j)
significant vistas will be adequately protected and preserved; and
15
(k)
the removal of one or more of the subject Trees is not contrary to or in
conflict with any other by-laws, policies, designations, or agreements of the
City, York Region, or any acts of the Province of Ontario. [Amended by
section 1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
3.
A Tree Permit may specify conditions of permit issuance including but not limited
to:
(a)
the qualifications of the Person(s) authorized to Injure or Destroy a Tree;
(b)
the requirement to pay a security or deposit to the City, as listed in the Fees
and Charges By-law;
(c)
the requirement to plant replacement Trees in accordance with required
Tree Replacement Ratio(s);
(d)
for locations where replacement Tree planting is not possible on the subject
Land, requiring Tree replacement fees in lieu of replacement Tree planting
in accordance with the required Tree Replacement Ratio(s), as listed in the
Fees and Charges By-law;
(e)
measures, including the installation of Tree Protection Zone barriers, to
mitigate the effects of a Tree Injury or Destruction on adjacent Tree(s),
Land(s) or Natural Heritage Features; and
(f)
other conditions, as specified by the Director of Enforcement or Director of
Forestry. [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on November 25,
2025]
6.1
Tree Protection Protocol and Tree Protection Agreements
1.
The Director of Forestry is authorized to:
(a)
implement and amend the Tree Protection Protocol; and
(b)
issue, place conditions on, refuse, suspend, extend, revoke a Tree Protection
Agreement for the Injury or Destruction of Trees subject to the conditions set
out in this By-law, the Tree Protection Protocol, or where he or she believes
that it is in the public interest to do so.
2.
An Applicant or Authorized Agent who applies for a Tree Protection Agreement
shall submit to the Director of Forestry the following:
(a)
a Tree Protection Agreement Application form;
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(b)
administration fee as prescribed by the Fees and Charges By-law;
(c)
an Arborist Report;
(d)
a Tree Management Plan; and
(e)
a security deposit in accordance with the Tree Protection Protocol.
3.
A Tree Protection Agreement may specify conditions including but not limited to:
(a)
the qualifications of the Person(s) authorized to Injure or Destroy a Tree;
(b)
the requirement to pay a security or deposit to the City, in accordance with
the Tree Protection Protocol;
(c)
the requirement to plant replacement Trees in accordance with required
Tree Replacement Ratio(s);
(d)
for locations where replacement Tree planting is not possible on the subject
Land, requiring Tree replacement fees in lieu of replacement Tree planting
in accordance with the required Tree Replacement Ratio(s), as listed in the
Fees and Charges By-law;
(e)
measures, including the installation of Tree Protection Zone barriers, to
mitigate the effects of a Tree Injury or Destruction on adjacent Tree(s),
Land(s) or Natural Heritage Features;
(f)
other conditions, as specified by the Director of Enforcement or the Director
of Forestry.
7.0
Duties of Permit Holders
1.
A Permit Holder shall ensure that the Tree Permit is posted on the Lot on which
the Trees that are to be Injured or Destroyed are found, and such Tree Permit
shall be posted in a location that is visible from the street edge for the full period of
time during which the Trees are being Injured or Destroyed. [Amended by section
1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
2.
A Permit Holder shall comply with all of the terms and conditions of the Tree
Permit or Tree Protection Agreement and shall ensure that any Person in his or
her employment or any Person acting on his or her behalf, including any
Authorized Agent, complies with the same. [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law
251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
3.
A Permit Holder shall comply with any and all lawful direction from the City,
including any and all Orders.
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8.0
Authority of the Director of Forestry
1.
The Director of Forestry is authorized to:
(a)
issue, place conditions on, refuse, suspend, extend, revoke Tree Permits
for the Injury or Destruction of Trees subject to the conditions set out in
this By-law or where he or she believes that it is in the public interest to do
so; [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
(b)
subject to the provisions of other City by-laws, provide relief from the
requirements of the Tree protection and measures in this By-law, Tree
Protection Protocol, or Tree Protection Agreement or conversely require
Tree protection measures that are above and beyond the Tree protection
measures prescribed in this By-law, Tree Protection Protocol, or Tree
Protection Agreement having regard to the variety and location of any and
all subject Trees and any other circumstances surrounding the site
alteration that may pose a particular hazard to the subject Trees.
9.0 Enforcement Powers
1.
A Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer may enter on lands at any reasonable time
for the purpose of carrying out an inspection to determine whether or not the
following are being complied with:
(a)
a provision of this By-law or any other By-law;
(b)
the terms and conditions of a Tree Permit; and/or
(c)
a direction or an Order. [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on
November 25, 2025]
2.
A Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer may, for the purposes of an inspection
pursuant to section 9.0(1):
(a)
require the production for inspection of documents or things relevant to the
inspection, including but not limited to government-issued photograph
identification, a Tree Permit, or a Tree Protection Agreement;
(b)
inspect and remove documents or things relevant to the inspection for the
purpose of making copies or extracts;
(c)
require information from any Person concerning a matter related to the
inspection;
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(d)
alone or in conjunction with a Person possessing special or expert
knowledge, make examinations or take tests, samples or photographs
necessary for the purposes of the inspection;
(e)
Order the Permit Holder to take and supply at the Permit Holder's expense
such tests, samples and studies as are specified; and
(f)
enter upon any property for the purposes of conducting an inspection to
ensure compliance. [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law 251-2025 on
November 25, 2025]
3.
A Municipal By-law Enforcement Officer may:
(a)
issue an Order, describing a contravention, specifying the timeframe for its
remedy, and establishing any other conditions, including but not limited to:
(i)
a requirement to obtain a Tree Impact Report at the Owner's expense
and submit this to the City;
(ii)
where it has been confirmed that a Tree has been Destroyed or
damaged without a Tree Permit or Tree Protection Agreement,
a Tree Removal Impact Review and payment of the required
fee as per the Fees and Charges By-law; and
(iii)
an Order to replant Trees in accordance with the Tree Replacement
Ratio, or as an alternative, pay a Tree replacement fee in accordance
with the Fees and Charges By-law; [Amended by section 1.c. of By-
law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
(b)
pursuant to the authorization of the Director of Enforcement or Director of
Forestry, suspend or revoke a Tree Permit or Tree Protection
Agreement, for any violation of this By-law or the conditions of a Tree
Permit or Tree Protection Agreement. [Amended by section 1.c. of By-law
251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
(c)
where it is satisfied that a Tree has been Injured or Destroyed without
permission from the City under a Tree Permit or Tree Protection
Agreement, issue an Order to discontinue the contravening activity.
[Added by section 1.f. of By-law 251-2025 on November 25, 2025]
4.
No Person shall hinder or obstruct or attempt to hinder or obstruct Municipal By-
19
law Enforcement Officers who are exercising any powers or performing any
duties under this By-law. [Amended by section 1.g. of By-law 251-2025 on
November 25, 2025]
10.0 Recovery of Costs for Remedial Action by the City
1.
If an Owner fails to comply with an Order, the City may enter upon the Property at
any reasonable time for the purposes of doing the remedial work outlined in the
Order.
2.
Costs incurred by the City in doing the remedial work in accordance with 10.0(1)
may be billed to the Property Owner or by adding the costs to the tax roll and
collecting them in the same manner as taxes.
3.
Where a contravention of the By-law takes place on Public Lands, the Person who
committed the infraction may be billed for any remedial work undertaken by the
City, which the City may add to the tax roll and collect in the same manner as
taxes.
11.0 Offences and Penalties
1.
Every Person who contravenes any provision of this By-law is guilty of an offence
and upon conviction is liable to a fine in accordance with the Provincial Offences
Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P.33, not exceeding one-hundred thousand dollars
($100,000.00).
2.
In the case of a continuing offence, for each day or part of a day that the offence
continues, a minimum fine shall not exceed $500 and a maximum fine shall not
exceed $10,000; however, the total of all of the daily fines for the offence is not
limited to $100,000.
3.
In the case of a multiple offence, for each offence included in the multiple offence,
a minimum fine shall not exceed $500 and a maximum fine shall not exceed
$10,000; however, the total of all fines for each included offence is not limited to
$100,000.
4.
A special fine may be imposed in accordance with section 429(2)(d) of the
Municipal Act in circumstances where there is economic advantage or gain from
the contravention of this bylaw, in which the maximum amount of a special fine
may exceed $100,000.
20
12.0 Administrative Penalties
1.
Instead of laying a charge under the Provincial Offences Act, R.S.O. 1990, Chap.
P.33, for a breach of any provisions of this By-law, a Municipal By-law Enforcement
Officer may issue an administrative penalty to the Person who has contravened
this By-law.
2.
If a Person is required to pay an administrative penalty, no charge shall be laid
against that same Person for the same violation.
3.
The amount of the administrative penalties for a breach under this By-law is listed
in Schedule 1.
4.
A Person who is issued an administrative penalty shall be subject to the
procedures provided for in the Administrative Penalties By-law.
5.
An administrative penalty imposed on a Person that becomes a debt to the City
under the Administrative Penalties By-law may be added to the municipal tax roll
and collected in the same manner as municipal taxes.
13.0 Severability
1.
In the event that a court of competent jurisdiction declares any section or part of a
section of this by-law to be invalid or to be of no force and effect, it is the intention
of Council in enacting this by-law that the remainder of this By-law shall continue in
force and be applied and enforced in accordance with its terms to the fullest extent
possible according to law.
14.0 Indemnification
1.
Any Person who contravenes any provision of this By-law, including providing false
or inaccurate information, shall be jointly and severally responsible to indemnify the
City, Mayor and Members of Council, and its officers, employees and agents, from
all losses, damages, costs, expenses, claims, demands, actions, lawsuits, or other
proceedings of every nature and kind arising from, and in consequence of such
contravention or omission.
15.0 Designation
1.
Schedule 1 of the Administrative Penalties By-law is hereby amended by including
this By-law as a Designated By-law.
16.0 Schedules
1.
The Schedules attached shall form part of this By-law.
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17.0 Repeal and Amendment of Other By-laws
1.
By-laws 052-2018, 258-83, 95- 2005, 185-2007, 205-2007 and 229-2005 are
hereby repealed.
18.0 Transition
1.
Notwithstanding the repeal of By-laws 052-2018, 258-83, 95- 2005, 185-2007, and
205-2007, said By-laws shall continue to apply to any Orders, acts, omissions,
occurrences, or offences for which charges were laid prior to the enactment of this
By-law.
2.
Where a fine or other penalty has been issued under any By-law repealed by this
By-law, an Officer may issue for the corresponding contravention an Order, fine or
other penalty under the provisions of this By-law, with due consideration for any
action taken under such previous by-laws.
3.
Subject to section 17.0(1), an existing contravention of any provision of this By-law,
regardless of whether the contravention occurred prior to the enactment of this By-
law, shall be subject to all of its provisions.
4.
Where any signage or public notice that prohibits or otherwise regulates any action
governed by this By-law makes reference to a by-law other than this By-law, such
signs or public notices shall be interpreted to reference the corresponding or
relevant provisions of this By-law.
19.0 Force and Effect
1.
This By-law shall come into force and effect on the date enacted by Council.
Voted in favour by City of Vaughan Council this 24th day of June, 2025.
Steven Del Duca, Mayor
Todd Coles, City Clerk
Authorized by Item No. 1 of Report No. 20 of the Committee of the Whole (Working Session).
Report adopted by Vaughan City Council on May 27, 2025.
City Council voted in favour of this by-law on June 24, 2025.
Approved by Mayoral Decision MDC 010-2025 dated June 24, 2025.
Effective Date of By-Law: June 24, 2025
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Schedule 1 - Administrative Penalties [Amended by section 1.h. of By-law 251-2025 on
November 25, 2025]
Section
Description Summary
Administrative Penalty Amount
4.0.1.(a)
Injure, Destroy, or Prune Public
Tree or part thereof without a Tree
Permit or Tree Protection
Agreement
$900 for Trees 20 to 30 cm in Diameter/Base Diameter
$1,500 for Trees 31-40cm in Diameter/Base Diameter
$2,100 for Trees 41-50cm in Diameter/Base Diameter
$2,700 for Trees greater than 50cm in Diameter/Base
Diameter
4.0.1.(b)
Attach an object to a Public Tree
$500
4.0.1.(c) Pour any substance that will Injure
a Public Tree within the drip line of
the Public Tree
$1,000
4.0.2.(a)
Injure a Tree that is not a Public
Tree without a Tree Permit or Tree
Protection Agreement
$750
4.0.2.(b)
Destroy a Tree, that is not a Public
Tree without a Tree Permit or Tree
Protection Agreement
$900 for Trees 20 to 30 cm in Diameter/Base Diameter
$1,500 for Trees 31-40cm in Diameter/Base Diameter
$2,100 for Trees 41-50cm in Diameter/Base Diameter
$2,700 for Trees greater than 50cm in Diameter/Base
Diameter
4.0.5.
Undertake unauthorized activities
within a Tree Protection Zone
$2,700
7.0.2.
Fail to comply with conditions of a
Tree Permit or Tree Protection
Agreement
$1,000
7.0.3.
Fail to comply with an Order
$1,000
9.0.4.
Hinder or obstruct or attempt to
hinder or obstruct Municipal By- law
Enforcement Officer
$1,000
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Schedule 2 - Tree Replacement Ratios
Situation or Diameter of Tree that is approved to be
Replacement Ratio for
removed
number of Trees required
to be planted at the
Property*
Tree Diameter is between 20 cm to 30 cm.
1:1
Tree Diameter is between 31 cm to 40 cm.
2:1
Tree Diameter is between 41 cm to 50 cm.
3:1
Tree Diameter is between 51 cm or greater
4:1
* In the situation where the Diameter of Tree(s) cannot
be measured on site, aerial imagery, surveys and other
media can be used to confirm that the Trees were
removed and estimate the size of the Trees that were
removed.
4:1
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AMENDMENT HISTORY
TREE PROTECTION BY-LAW
DATE
(YYYY/MM/DD)
BY-LAW
AUTHORITY
CONSOLIDATED
2025 / 11 / 25
251-2025 Item 7, Report 39 of the Committee
of the Whole