Local tree-rule guide
Brandon tree rules
Brandon’s published tree-protection rules draw a sharp line between private-yard trees and City-owned boulevard trees, while Manitoba-wide elm rules can affect pruning and removal work anywhere in the city.
The local rule
The City of Brandon Tree Protection By-law material is aimed at public trees in City-owned or City-controlled spaces, especially boulevard trees. Residents must not prune, remove, damage or plant a boulevard tree without City involvement.
Brandon’s public guidance does not publish a single citywide trunk-diameter trigger that TreeRulesCanada can safely use to decide ordinary private-yard removal. Private-tree work should therefore be checked against property, development and provincial requirements before cutting.
For a boulevard tree, contact the Parks Section rather than hiring a contractor directly. The City says healthy public trees generally are not removed unless there is a hazard, disease or conflict with overhead utility infrastructure.
Healthy elm pruning is prohibited from April 1 through July 31. Brandon also states that dead or dying elms may be removed at any time, but elm wood and stumps must be handled correctly to reduce Dutch elm disease risk. These species rules apply separately from the public-versus-private ownership question.
Local exceptions and conditions
First decide whether the tree is public or private
- A tree between the sidewalk, curb and private lot can be on the City boulevard even when the adjacent homeowner waters it or its branches extend over the yard. Confirm the property boundary before authorizing pruning or removal.
- Brandon tells residents not to prune or remove boulevard trees themselves. Concerns about damage, disease, clearance or safety should be sent to Parks so Forestry staff can inspect the tree and decide what work is appropriate.
- Planting on a boulevard also requires City approval. That differs from planting on private residential land, where the City’s reimbursement program specifically requires the tree to be on private property rather than a boulevard, sidewalk or park.
- If ownership remains unclear, give Parks the civic address and tree location. Do not use a contractor’s assumption about the lot line as the final ownership decision.
What the public-tree rules protect
- The City says its Tree Protection By-law was established to protect and retain trees in public spaces owned or controlled by Brandon. Prohibited conduct includes unauthorized pruning, removal, damage and changes around the root zone of boulevard trees.
- For removal requests, the City lists hazard to the public, interference with overhead utility infrastructure and disease as examples of circumstances in which removal of an otherwise healthy public tree may be considered.
- Construction near City trees needs early planning. Brandon advises contractors to contact a City arborist, establish a protection zone and avoid compaction, grade changes, stockpiling and other root-zone damage.
- A project can therefore have a tree issue without proposing to cut the trunk: excavation, access, fill and heavy equipment near a public tree can trigger protection concerns that need to be resolved before work starts.
Private trees still need a context check
- The City’s boulevard page distinguishes public-tree controls from trees on private property. It does not provide a universal private-yard diameter test that would justify an automated yes-or-no permit answer.
- Before removing a private tree, check whether the work is part of a development, site-plan, grading, utility or other approval that already contains landscaping or tree-retention conditions. Approved development landscaping can carry obligations that ordinary yard maintenance does not.
- If a private tree is growing into the public right-of-way, Brandon states that the private-property tree remains the property owner’s responsibility, but work near the street can still require care around public infrastructure and City trees.
- For a disputed boundary, a multi-tree clearing project or work tied to construction, confirm the correct municipal process with Parks or Planning rather than treating the absence of a simple diameter trigger as an all-clear.
Elm trees add a Manitoba-wide rule
- Manitoba law restricts pruning an elm between April 1 and July 31, subject to limited exceptions such as a safety hazard, traffic obstruction, therapeutic pest treatment or authorization by the provincial director.
- The provincial Forest Health Protection Regulation also requires an elm stump to be treated when the tree is removed, such as debarking to the soil line or grinding/removing the stump to the specified depth. Barked elm wood is also tightly controlled because it can spread Dutch elm disease.
- Brandon repeats the seasonal elm-pruning restriction in its boulevard-tree guidance. This species rule is separate from the City-versus-private ownership question and should be checked before pruning an elm anywhere in the city.
- That combination is why the Tree Permit Checker leaves Brandon in municipal-confirmation mode: ownership, development context and species rules matter more than a single trunk measurement.
- Brandon’s current invasive-pest guidance says dead or dying elms may be removed at any time; healthy elm pruning is prohibited from April 1 through July 31. The City also warns that keeping elm firewood is illegal because barked elm wood can spread Dutch elm disease.
Before work starts
- Ownership: confirm whether the trunk is private, shared or on public land before authorizing work.
- Site context: check development approvals, environmental controls, easements and any prior tree-retention conditions that apply to this property.
- Work requirements: obtain the current permit, certificate, exemption or written municipal confirmation before the contractor starts.
- Keep the record: retain photos, measurements, professional reports and the municipal decision with the property file.
Official sources
Last verified: October 7, 2026. Rules, maps and application procedures can change; confirm with the local authority before work. How we research