Arborist Report Newmarket: Tree Permit Requirements & 2-Day Turnaround

Understanding Newmarket’s Tree Protection

Newmarket’s Private Tree Protection By-law 2022-10 protects trees 20 cm or larger in diameter on private property, and extends the same protection to qualifying neighbouring trees within 6 metres of a subject site. On top of the diameter threshold, the Town layers a Significant Tree designation, covering large mature trees (30 cm+ DBH or 10 m+ height) and smaller native trees near a property line, plus any tree with heritage, rare, or landmark status. Significant and Heritage Trees can’t be removed under any permit, regardless of size.

The application fee structure is unusual in the region: it scales with how many trees are in one submission rather than charging per tree flatly, which matters for anyone planning a multi-tree removal as part of a single project.

The Private Tree Protection By-law

By-law 2022-10 applies to every tree 20 cm DBH or larger on private property, plus qualifying neighbouring trees. It sits alongside three other governing documents: the Public Tree Protection By-law 2017-59 (municipal trees), the Woodlot By-law 2007-71 (private woodlots 0.2 to 1.0 ha), and York Region’s Forest Conservation By-law (woodlands over 1.0 ha).

What Requires a Permit

• Removing or injuring any tree 20 cm+ DBH on private property
• Removing or injuring a qualifying neighbouring tree within 6 m of the subject site
• Development applications require a full Tree Inventory (OLS survey) and preservation plan

Exemptions

• Dead or dying trees (permit still required, but no arborist report needed)
• Hazardous trees (arborist report required; no fee, no replacement trees)
• Emergency removals (email notification with photos to the Town is sufficient; no permit needed)

Significant and Heritage Trees are never exempt. If a tree meets the Town’s Significant Tree definition, no permit type authorizes its removal.

How to Apply for a Tree Removal Permit

Step 1: Measure and Check Significant Tree Status

Confirm diameter at 1.4 m above ground. Then check whether the tree meets Newmarket’s Significant Tree definition (large mature: 30cm+ DBH or 10m+ height, native, within 4.5 m of the property line; small mature: 10cm+ DBH, similar criteria). This determines whether removal is even possible.

Step 2: Hire an ISA or MTCU Certified Arborist

Newmarket requires an arborist report for all applications except dead or dying trees. Multi-stem trees use the RMS formula (square root of the sum of squared stem diameters) rather than a simple sum, which changes the threshold calculation on trees with several trunks.

Step 3: Complete the Tree Report Form and Submit

Every Planning Act application in Newmarket also requires the Town’s Tree Report Form, a two-part fillable document: Part 1 declares no trees over 20 cm DBH nearby, Part 2 declares trees are present and an arborist report will follow. The removal application itself is a fillable PDF emailed to planning@newmarket.ca.

Step 4: Pay the Tiered Application Fee

Fees run $100 for one tree, $300 for two to four, $1,000 for five to ten, and $5,000 for eleven or more, plus a $118.83 per-tree review fee. This structure rewards batching multiple removals into one application rather than filing separately.

Step 5: Town Review

Newmarket has not published a standard processing timeline; we build in buffer time on any project where the removal date is fixed by a construction schedule.

Fees

• 1 tree: $100
• 2 to 4 trees: $300
• 5 to 10 trees: $1,000
• 11 or more trees: $5,000
• Plus: $118.83 per-tree review fee

Replacement Requirements

Non-construction removals use a flat 1:1 count, minimum 60mm caliper per replacement tree. Construction-related removals use the Aggregate Inch Method, where total replacement caliper must equal total removed diameter, calculated in 60mm caliper units. Cash-in-lieu varies by permit type: none for dead or dying trees, 100% of tree value tied to a building or pool permit, double replacement value for nuisance removal, $300 per tree for non-construction removal, and $450 per 6cm caliper unit not replanted for construction-related removal. Security deposits run 100% of the ISA-appraised tree value, or 20% for woodlands.

Working with The Arborist Group

We check every Newmarket removal against the Significant Tree criteria before recommending a path forward, since that designation overrides everything else in the bylaw. Where a project involves several trees, we help structure the application to make the most of the tiered fee schedule, and we prepare both the arborist report and the Town’s required Tree Report Form so nothing holds up the submission.