Tree Removal Permit Guide for Burnaby, BC

When Burnaby requires a permit

The Burnaby Tree Bylaw 1996 No. 10482 decides protection in two steps. First it asks whether the lot is under a current development application. Then, for lots that are not, it asks whether the tree is a conifer or a broadleaf.

Diameter is taken at 1.3 m above the ground. For a tree with several stems, the three largest stems are added together.

Size is not the only trigger. Covenanted trees, streamside trees, trees in the cemetery district, trees on a landscaping plan, replacement trees and retained trees are all protected at any size (s.2(o)).

How the site and species set the threshold

• A lot under a current development application has one protected size, for any species.
• On other lots, a conifer has its own protected size.
• On other lots, a broadleaf tree has its own protected size.

The confirmed sizes:

Size	Applies to
20.3 cm	tree on property with a development application, outside streamside protection and enhancement areas and Cemetery District (P4) lots
30.5 cm	coniferous tree on property with no current development application, outside streamside protection and enhancement areas and Cemetery District (P4) lots
45.7 cm	broadleaf tree on property with no current development application, outside streamside protection and enhancement areas and Cemetery District (P4) lots
any size	covenanted tree
any size	tree planted under an approved landscaping plan or subdivision condition, replacement tree, or retained tree
any size	tree within a streamside protection and enhancement area

Once a development application is filed, the development size applies to every tree on the lot. If you plan to build, measure the trees before the application goes in.

What the permit costs

Fees come from Schedule E11 of the Consolidated Fees and Charges Bylaw 14485C, in effect from January 1, 2026. The fee depends on the case:

• No development application: a fee per tree, to a maximum.
• Residential development application: a fee per tree, to a maximum.
• Non-residential development sites pay a base fee set by site size, plus a fee per tree.

The confirmed amounts:

Amount	Applies to
$1,656	base fee, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area over 1,000 m2 up to 5,000 m2
$3,313	base fee, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area over 10,000 m2 up to 20,000 m2
$4,141	base fee, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area over 20,000 m2
$2,484	base fee, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area over 5,000 m2 up to 10,000 m2
$827	base fee, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area up to 1,000 m2
$691	maximum, no development application
$1,380	maximum, residential lot with development application pending
$6,900	maximum, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area over 1,000 m2 up to 5,000 m2
$13,801	maximum, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area over 10,000 m2 up to 20,000 m2
$13,801	maximum, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area over 20,000 m2
$6,900	maximum, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area over 5,000 m2 up to 10,000 m2
$1,380	maximum, site other than a single or two family residential lot with development application pending, site area up to 1,000 m2
$97	per tree, no development application
$207	per tree, residential lot with development application pending

Replacement trees and cash in lieu

Section 13(1) ties the replacement count to the size of the tree removed. A small tree needs 1 replacement tree, a mid-size tree needs 2, and a large tree needs 3.

Replacement stock has minimum sizes under s.13(2). A conifer must be at least 2 m tall. A broadleaf tree must be at least 5 cm in diameter, and fruit trees can instead be two trees of at least 2.5 cm each.

Cash-in-lieu is paid to the Civic Tree Reserve Fund. Security under s.7 is the greater of a minimum amount or 120% of the estimated replacement cost. Cash-in-lieu is $1,500 per tree. The minimum security is $1,500 (minimum security for tree replacement).

How to apply

Contact the Building Division (Planning and Development) through the City’s trees page to start an application. Once issued, a permit is valid for 6 months (s.9), so time the work to fall inside that window.

What the arborist report covers

A report for a Burnaby permit starts with the threshold that applies, because that decides whether a permit is needed. It sets out:

• whether the lot is under a current development application;
• each tree’s species group (conifer or broadleaf) and its diameter at 1.3 m;
• any category that protects the tree at any size, such as a covenant or a streamside location;
• the replacement count each removal triggers under s.13(1).

For trees that stay, s.8 sets protection fencing on or outside the dripline, at least 1.2 m high, unless the Director Planning directs otherwise.

What we do and do not do

We prepare tree removal permit reports for Burnaby lots, including sites where a development application changes the threshold.

• We confirm availability for your address before we quote.
• If the removal ground is a hazardous or high-risk tree, ask us first. Some Metro Vancouver bylaws require a report author who also holds the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification.
• We do not offer emergency service.
• We do not supervise construction.