Etobicoke Tree Removal Permit: Rules, Fees & Arborist Reports

Etobicoke and Toronto’s Tree Bylaws

Etobicoke became part of the City of Toronto with the 1998 amalgamation. Tree removal in Etobicoke is governed by the same City of Toronto bylaws that apply across the entire municipality: Chapter 813 (Private Tree Bylaw) and, for properties within designated natural features, Chapter 658 (Ravine and Natural Feature Protection). All permit applications go to Toronto’s Urban Forestry department. A tree outside the RNFP limit goes to its Etobicoke York district office of Tree Protection and Plan Review, at the Etobicoke Civic Centre. A tree inside the limit goes to the RNFP team, which covers the whole city. Toronto adopted new amendments effective September 1, 2026, including a Distinctive Tree category for trees over 61 cm DBH, and they apply in Etobicoke as they do across the rest of the city.

The Humber River runs north-south through Etobicoke. Several Etobicoke neighbourhoods back onto the Humber valley, and RNFP designations follow the river. On a lot that crosses the RNFP line, a tree inside it needs a Chapter 658 permit and a tree outside it falls under Chapter 813.

The Humber River and Mimico Creek Ravine System

Two waterways shape how tree permits work in Etobicoke:

The Humber River enters Etobicoke near Finch Avenue and flows south to Lake Ontario. The RNFP designation follows the river’s course. Key neighbourhoods along the Humber with frequent RNFP implications include Humber Valley Village, Thorncrest Village, Edenbridge-Humber Valley, and Princess Anne Manor. The City’s RNFP map sets the boundary lot by lot. We check each address against it before we plan a removal.

Mimico Creek flows through the southern part of Etobicoke, passing through areas near Islington Village and Mimico before reaching Lake Ontario. Parts of the creek’s ravine corridor are RNFP-designated. We check Mimico Creek addresses against the City’s RNFP map.

Outside these waterway corridors, Etobicoke has large-lot neighbourhoods including The Kingsway, Sunnylea, and the Islington-City Centre West area, where mature trees are common on private lots. Most lots here fall under Chapter 813 (trees over 30 cm DBH on private property). Parts of The Kingsway and Islington-City Centre West sit inside the mapped RNFP area, so we check each address against the City’s map.

Why Etobicoke Has More Dual-Permit Applications

The Humber River gives Etobicoke more split-bylaw lots than most other parts of Toronto. Humber Valley Village and Thorncrest Village, in particular, have a concentration of older homes with large lots, mature trees, and river-facing rear yards. A homeowner removing a large tree near the back of a Humber-facing lot is working with both the Chapter 813 size threshold and the RNFP boundary. The tree’s position against the RNFP line decides which permit applies. Each side of the line has its own file with its own office.

Chapter 813: Private Tree Bylaw

Chapter 813 applies across all of Etobicoke. Trees on private property with a trunk diameter of 30 cm or more, measured at breast height (1.4 metres above ground), require a permit before removal. The bylaw also covers activities that injure or damage a protected tree, including root cutting, significant pruning, and construction work within a tree’s root zone.

Species does not change the ordinary threshold.

Exemptions

A permit is not required in these situations:

• Dead, terminally diseased, or imminently hazardous trees, once the City has confirmed the condition (s. 813-13 A)
• Emergency work certified by the City (s. 813-13 D)
• Pruning in line with good arboricultural practice to maintain tree health (s. 813-13 B)

Chapter 658: Ravine and Natural Feature Protection

Chapter 658 covers properties the city has mapped as ravines, valleys, and other natural features. Within RNFP areas, all trees regardless of size are protected. The 30 cm threshold from Chapter 813 does not apply. An RNFP permit is required for removal, grading, filling, and any construction that could affect the designated area. Replacement planting inside RNFP areas is set by tree diameter under Urban Forestry’s Tree-Based Compensation: one replacement tree for a permitted removal of a tree 19 cm or smaller, then one more for each further 10 cm band, and a steeper table for unauthorized removal. The Toronto guide has the table.

RNFP applications are more involved than standard Chapter 813 filings, and the RNFP team reviews them, not the district office. The City lists a plan of survey, a site plan, an arborist report, landscape and forest restoration plans, grading plans, a geotechnical report and, where they apply, stewardship plans.

Inside the RNFP area, a tree of any size needs a Chapter 658 permit only, because Chapter 813 exempts trees in designated ravine protection areas. A tree on the same lot outside the RNFP line falls under Chapter 813.

How to Apply for a Tree Removal Permit

Step 1: Determine What Applies

Measure the tree’s DBH to determine if Chapter 813 applies. Use the city’s online RNFP mapping tool to check if your property is in a designated area. Etobicoke addresses use the same City of Toronto portal as any other Toronto property.

Step 2: Hire an ISA Certified Arborist

Toronto requires an arborist report with every permit application. The report documents the tree’s species, size, health, and the reason for removal. If construction is involved, it also covers the protection of other trees on and near the site.

Step 3: Submit Through the City Portal

Applications go to Toronto’s Urban Forestry department through the city’s online permit portal or in person at the Etobicoke Civic Centre counter. Toronto does not accept applications by email. Standard requirements include:

• Completed application form
• Arborist report from an ISA Certified Arborist
• Site plan showing the tree’s location and property boundaries
• Permit fee ($145.87 per tree for a standard residential removal not tied to construction; $436.39 per tree if the removal is part of a construction or development project)
• Photographs of the tree

RNFP applications need a plan of survey, a site plan, an arborist report, landscape and forest restoration plans, grading plans and a geotechnical report on soil conditions, slope stability and drainage. Stewardship plans are added where they apply.

Step 4: Review and Outcome

A planner reviews the application, decides whether to visit the site and lists anything missing in writing. Urban Forestry then confirms in writing that it supports the application and lists the conditions, such as the signed Undertaking and Release and any cash-in-lieu. That email is not a permit. The permit issues once every condition is met. The Toronto guide covers each step. A denied application may be appealed to the applicable Community Council, whose decision is final.

Fees and Processing

Under Chapter 813, the permit fee is $145.87 per tree for a standard residential removal not tied to construction, and $436.39 per tree where the removal is part of a construction or development project, as of the City’s 2026 fee schedule. RNFP applications have their own fees from September 1, 2026: $87.57 per tree non-construction and $262.72 per tree construction.

Penalties for Unauthorized Removal

Removing a protected tree in Etobicoke without a permit can result in fines from $500 to $100,000 per tree. In RNFP areas, enforcement runs under Chapter 658.

Replanting Requirements

Approved removals come with replacement planting conditions. Chapter 813 sets no replacement ratio. Urban Forestry sets the number of replacement trees as a permit condition, through the landscaping and replanting plan it approves. Toronto accepts cash-in-lieu at $583 per tree only where the lot has no space to plant.

Frequently Asked Questions

My Etobicoke property backs onto the Humber River. What permits do I need to remove a tree near the back of my lot?

If the tree stands inside the RNFP-mapped area, you need a Chapter 658 permit only, whatever its size. A tree outside the line falls under Chapter 813 at 30 cm or larger. The City’s RNFP map settles it lot by lot. The RNFP application requires an arborist report.

Working with The Arborist Group

We prepare RNFP applications for Humber valley and Mimico Creek properties. If your property is near the river, or if you have a tree removal that touches any part of the Etobicoke ravine system, contact us before filing to avoid an incomplete application.