North York Tree Removal Permit: Rules, Fees & Arborist Reports

North York and Toronto’s Tree Bylaws

North York joined the City of Toronto through the 1998 amalgamation and has been under Toronto’s municipal bylaws ever since. Tree removal in North York is governed by the same Chapter 813 and Chapter 658 bylaws that apply across Toronto: the Private Tree Bylaw and, where properties fall within designated natural features, the Ravine and Natural Feature Protection bylaw. All applications go to Toronto’s Urban Forestry department. A tree outside the RNFP limit goes to the North York district office of Tree Protection and Plan Review, on the third floor of the North York Civic Centre. A tree inside the limit goes to the RNFP team, which covers the whole city. Toronto’s bylaw amendments effective September 1, 2026 add a Distinctive Tree category for trees over 61 cm DBH, and they apply to North York properties.

The Don River and its tributaries run through North York, and a significant portion of North York’s residential neighbourhoods sit within or adjacent to the ravine system. Inside the RNFP area, the Chapter 658 permit applies instead of Chapter 813.

The Don Valley and North York’s Ravine System

The Don River enters North York near the top of the watershed and flows southward through a network of tributaries that spread across the district. Key areas where RNFP designations concentrate include:

In Hoggs Hollow and York Mills, the low-lying land along the West Don River has mature flood-plain trees. We check each address here against the City’s RNFP map.

The Bayview corridor runs north from Lawrence Avenue along the Don tributaries, through established neighbourhoods where large mature trees are common.

The Burke Brook ravine runs through the Armour Heights and Avenue Road area, connecting to the North Toronto trail network. Parts of this corridor carry RNFP designations under the same rules as Hoggs Hollow, and the mapped line decides which trees they cover.

The Don River through the Don Mills area carries RNFP protections. Development activity in this part of North York regularly requires RNFP review.

Outside the ravine system, established North York neighbourhoods including Willowdale, Lansing, Don Mills, Bayview Village, and Armour Heights have many mature yard trees. Away from the ravines these lots fall under Chapter 813 only: trees over 30 cm DBH on flat private lots with no ravine proximity.

North York Centre and Redevelopment

The Yonge and Sheppard corridor, known as North York Centre, has seen substantial high-rise and mixed-use development over the past two decades. Construction projects in this area regularly require tree permits for trees on or near development sites.

Chapter 813: Private Tree Bylaw

Chapter 813 applies across all of North York. Any tree with a trunk diameter of 30 cm or more, measured at 1.4 metres above ground (DBH), requires a permit before it can be removed or significantly damaged. This includes root cutting within the tree’s critical root zone, substantial pruning, and construction activity that would disturb the root zone.

Species and age do not change the 30 cm threshold. From September 1, 2026, trees planted under a permit condition, development approval or compliance order are protected at any size.

Exemptions

The bylaw does not apply in a few specific circumstances:

• 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 within areas the city has mapped and designated as ravines, valleys, and natural features. In North York, this primarily means the Don River system and its tributaries. Within RNFP areas, trees of any size are protected. The 30 cm threshold from Chapter 813 does not apply. Even a small tree requires a permit if it is within a designated zone. 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 permits are required for removal, grading, filling, and any construction that could affect the natural feature. 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: Establish What Bylaws Apply

Measure the tree’s DBH to see if Chapter 813 applies. Check the city’s RNFP mapping tool to determine if your property is in a designated area. North York addresses work with the same City of Toronto online system as any other Toronto property.

Step 2: Hire an ISA Certified Arborist

Toronto requires an arborist report with every application. The report should document the tree’s species, size, condition, and the reason for removal. For construction-related removals, it should address how other trees on the property will be protected.

Step 3: Submit Through the City Portal

Applications go to Toronto’s Urban Forestry department via the city’s online permit portal or in person at the North York 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 with tree locations indicated
• 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)
• Photos 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 Decision

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

Unauthorized removal of a protected tree in North York can result in fines from $500 to $100,000 per tree. The city investigates complaints. Removing an unpermitted tree in a ravine zone is enforced under Chapter 658.

Replanting Requirements

Approved permits come with replanting 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

I live near the Don Valley in North York. Does the ravine bylaw apply to my property?

Only if the City’s RNFP map includes your lot. The mapped boundary does not follow the valley edge, so we check each address against the map. If you are in a designated area, any tree removal inside the RNFP line requires an RNFP permit, and the application package is larger than a standard one.

Working with The Arborist Group

We work throughout North York, including properties along the Don Valley where dual-bylaw applications are common. If your North York property is near a valley system or you are managing a construction project that affects trees, contact us to discuss the permit requirements before work begins.