Tree care in Toronto

Tree services we provide in Toronto

Toronto neighborhoods we work in

• Downtown core (King West, Liberty Village, Cabbagetown, Riverdale)
• Midtown (Yonge-Eglinton, Forest Hill, Davisville)
• East end (The Beaches, Leslieville, Riverside, East York)
• West end (Roncesvalles, High Park, Bloor West Village, Junction)
• North York and Etobicoke residential streets

What Toronto trees look like (and why it matters)

Toronto's mature canopy is mostly Norway maple, silver maple, sugar maple, and a lot of stressed elm and ash that did not survive emerald ash borer. We see the most calls for ash removal, storm-damaged silver maple cleanup (silver maple has weak crotches and drops branches in every windstorm), and pruning on tight downtown lots where you can't drop limbs into the yard.

Common Toronto tree calls we get

Every city in our service area produces a slightly different mix of work. Here is what most of our Toronto calls actually look like.

EAB ash removal across older Toronto neighbourhoods

Almost every mature ash tree in Toronto is either dead, dying, or about to be. Emerald ash borer has worked its way through Riverdale, The Beaches, Leslieville, East York, the Junction, and most older midtown streets. Once an ash is dead, the wood gets brittle fast (about 18 months) and the tree becomes hazardous to take down. We get more calls for ash removal than any other species in the city.

Silver maple deadwooding in Cabbagetown, Riverdale, and East York

Silver maple was planted everywhere in postwar Toronto. It grows fast, gives huge shade, and has weak branch crotches that drop limbs in every windstorm. Annual deadwooding on a mature silver maple costs a fraction of removal and keeps the tree safe over the row house, the garage, and the parking pad. Most of our routine summer pruning calls are silver maple.

Tight downtown lots: rope-down and crane work

King West, Liberty Village, Cabbagetown, and the older Junction blocks are some of the tightest residential lots in the GTA. No room to drop limbs. We rope sections down to a crew on the ground, or bring in a small crane when the yard is fenced and the truck cannot get close. Cleanup happens before we leave so your neighbours do not call the city about your sawdust pile.

Norway maple decline in Forest Hill, Davisville, and Leaside

Norway maple was the dominant street tree in midtown Toronto from the 1950s through the 1980s. The trees planted in that era are now 50 to 70 years old and reaching end of life. Surface roots heaving sidewalks, dieback in the upper canopy, and seam splits in the trunk are the three signs we look for. Removal with a careful replacement plan is usually the right call.

Heads up: Toronto tree bylaw

Toronto has a tree protection bylaw. Any private tree 30 cm in diameter or larger needs a permit before removal. We can help you figure out if your tree qualifies and what the application process looks like.

What to expect when you call

Most homeowners have never hired an arborist before. Here is how the process actually works once you call us.

1. Call us. Quick conversation about what tree, what neighbourhood, and what your concern is. Most calls take five minutes.
2. On-site visit. We come look at the tree, talk through options, and give you a written quote. Usually within 24 hours of your first call. The visit is free.
3. Permit step if needed. If the tree is 30 cm DBH or larger on private property, we file the City of Toronto bylaw application, document the tree condition with photos, and propose the replacement plantings the bylaw requires. Plan on 3 to 6 weeks from application to approval.
4. Schedule and cleanup. Once the permit is in hand (or right away if the tree is exempt or hazardous), we book the work. Every job includes branch removal, sawdust cleanup, and a final rake-out. Stump grinding is available as a same-day add-on.

Toronto arborist FAQ

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Toronto?

If the tree is on private property and 30 cm in diameter at breast height (DBH) or larger, yes. The City of Toronto Private Tree Bylaw requires a permit for removal and significant pruning. Dead trees and hazardous trees can sometimes get an expedited or exempt permit, but the city still wants documentation. We can measure the tree, check the bylaw, and file the application as part of the quote.

What about trees in a ravine or protected area?

Toronto has a separate Ravine and Natural Feature Protection Bylaw covering any tree in a designated ravine or protected natural feature, regardless of size. A lot of Riverdale, Rosedale, the Don Valley edge, and parts of High Park and the Humber Valley fall under this bylaw. Removal in protected areas needs a permit and often an arborist report. We handle both.

How much does tree removal cost in Toronto?

Cost depends on size, access, what is around the tree, and whether a permit is required. A small backyard tree with easy access is on the lower end. A large tree on a tight downtown lot that needs roping or a crane takes more rigging and more time, so it costs more. We do a free on-site visit and give you a written quote before any cutting starts. Permit costs are separate and go to the City of Toronto.

Do you respond same-day for emergencies?

Yes. For fallen trees, storm damage, and hazardous branches over a house or driveway, we respond same-day during business hours (Mon-Sat 7am-7pm). Outside business hours we return calls first thing the next morning and prioritize the property-damage calls.

What Toronto neighbourhoods do you serve?

All of them. We work the downtown core (King West, Liberty Village, Cabbagetown, Riverdale), midtown (Yonge-Eglinton, Forest Hill, Davisville, Leaside), the east end (The Beaches, Leslieville, Riverside, East York), the west end (Roncesvalles, High Park, Bloor West Village, the Junction), and North York and Etobicoke residential streets. If you are inside the City of Toronto, we cover you.

Can you work on a tight downtown lot with no truck access?

Yes. A lot of our downtown work is rope-down (sectioning limbs and lowering them to a ground crew) or small-crane work when the yard is fenced and the truck cannot pull up. We bring tarps and ground protection, work cleanly, and haul everything out the front. Cabbagetown, Liberty Village, and the Junction blocks are some of the tightest jobs we do, and they are routine.