Richmond Hill Tree Removal Permit: Rules, Fees & Arborist Reports

Understanding Richmond Hill’s Tree Protection

Richmond Hill updated its tree bylaws in April 2025, replacing the previous Tree Preservation By-law 41-07 with By-law #19-25 (Municipal Code Chapter 1015). The most significant change was lowering the protected diameter threshold from 20 cm to 15 cm, which brought a much larger number of private trees under the permit system.

The updated bylaw reflects the city’s concern about canopy loss in the face of ongoing residential development. Richmond Hill sits within York Region and also includes portions of the Oak Ridges Moraine, adding additional layers of environmental regulation in certain areas.

The Updated Tree Preservation Bylaw

Richmond Hill’s current bylaw protects all trees on private property with a trunk diameter of 15 cm or more at breast height (1.4 metres above ground). This applies to all species on residential, commercial, and industrial properties.

What Requires a Permit

• Removing any protected tree (15 cm+ diameter)
• Injuring a protected tree (defined as removing more than 20% of live tissue within 12 months), including root cutting and severe pruning
• Activities within the critical root zone during construction

Key Changes from the Previous Bylaw

The 2025 update brought several important changes:

• The protected-tree threshold dropped from 20 cm to 15 cm, pulling younger and smaller trees into the bylaw’s reach
• Cash-in-lieu rates for replanting increased to $945 per tree
• AMPS enforcement: Administrative Monetary Penalties system for violations

Exemptions

By-law 19-25 uses an Exemption Permit for:

• Dead trees, supported by photographs
• Dying trees, supported by an Arborist Report
• Hazardous trees, supported by a TRAQ tree risk assessment

Emergency work also requires a permit after the work, with an Arborist Report and pre-removal photographs. These categories are not permit-free.

Oak Ridges Moraine Considerations

Parts of Richmond Hill, particularly in the north, fall within the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan area. The plan can add requirements to related development or site-alteration applications. The property location and project type determine whether that planning review applies alongside the tree process.

How to Apply for a Tree Removal Permit

Step 1: Check if Your Tree is Protected

Measure the trunk diameter at 1.4 metres above ground. If it is 15 cm or more, you need a permit. Remember that the threshold dropped from 20 cm in the previous bylaw, so trees that were unregulated before April 2025 may now require permits.

Step 2: Hire an ISA Certified Arborist

Richmond Hill requires an Arborist Report with each standard Tree Permit application. The report must be prepared by a Certified Arborist and include:

• Tree species, diameter, and height
• Health and structural condition
• Reason for the proposed removal
• Assessment of any alternatives to removal
• Site plan showing tree locations relative to property boundaries and structures

Step 3: Address Replacement Conditions

The city sets replacement conditions from the removed tree’s DBH. When replacement trees are required, the city collects a security deposit under the Tariff of Fees By-law. If the permit allows cash-in-lieu instead, the 2026 rate is $945 per required replacement tree.

Step 4: Submit Your Application

File your application with the City of Richmond Hill’s Forestry section. Include:

• Completed tree removal permit application form
• Arborist report
• Site plan or property survey
• The replacement information requested by the city
• Photos of the tree

Step 5: City Review

The city’s forestry staff review the application and may conduct a site visit. Processing time is not publicly specified. Applications can be submitted through the city’s online portal. The city will approve, deny, or approve with specific conditions.

Fees and Costs

The non-refundable application fee is $314 + HST for the first tree and $109 + HST for each additional tree, to a maximum of $859 + HST. The cash-in-lieu rate is $945 per required replacement tree under the 2026 Tariff of Fees By-law.

When replacement trees are required, the security deposit equals the required replacement count multiplied by the current replacement fee. The city releases the security after it confirms the permit’s replacement conditions have been fulfilled.

Penalties

Richmond Hill’s AMPS schedule lists tree-bylaw penalties from $50 to $750. Injuring a tree without a permit and obstructing an officer each carry a $750 administrative penalty. Violating an Exemption Permit is $500, failing to comply with an order is $350, and continuing offences are $200. The bylaw also allows prosecution with a court fine up to $100,000 per offence. Continuing or multiple offences can exceed that total, and a special fine tied to economic gain may exceed $100,000.

York Region Oversight

As a municipality within York Region, Richmond Hill’s tree protection operates within the broader regional planning framework. York Region’s Official Plan includes policies on natural heritage protection that can affect tree removal, particularly on larger development sites.

For major development projects, Regional staff may provide comments on tree preservation plans as part of the planning approvals process. This typically applies to subdivision and large site plan applications rather than individual homeowner permits.

Development Applications

Active Plan of Subdivision or Site Plan applications do not require a separate Tree Permit. Their arborist-prepared Tree Inventory and Preservation Plans are reviewed by the Park and Natural Heritage Planning section through the planning process. Those plans include:

• A tree inventory and preservation plan
• A grading plan showing how tree root zones will be protected
• Tree protection fencing details and installation timelines
• A replanting plan for any trees that cannot be preserved

Construction outside an active Plan of Subdivision or Site Plan application still needs the applicable permit before a protected tree is injured or removed.

Working with The Arborist Group

We are familiar with Richmond Hill’s updated bylaw requirements and handle permit applications across the city. The 2025 changes caught many property owners off guard, especially those with trees in the 15 to 20 cm range that were previously unregulated. Our reports address the city’s current standards and include the documentation needed to move applications through the review process without delays.