Local tree-rule guide
Kawartha Lakes: no blanket private-tree permit
Current City guidance does not establish a blanket private-yard tree-removal permit; City-owned and boundary trees follow separate rules.
The local rule
Kawartha Lakes’s current property-line guidance says the municipality usually does not regulate trimming trees or hedges on private property, except where an urgent safety issue is identified near municipal property. That guidance does not establish a blanket private-yard removal permit.
The City Tree Canopy Preservation By-law separately protects City-owned trees and requires municipal authorization before damage or removal.
For boundary trees, the City points to Ontario’s Forestry Act and notes that a trunk growing on the boundary is common property of the adjoining owners.
Before work starts
- Ownership: check the property line. Public and boundary trees may follow a different process.
- Site context: review any development approval, covenant or protected-area conditions.
- Work requirements: confirm any permit, exemption or protection requirements that apply to the planned work.
Official sources
Primary municipal source reviewed September 23, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the local authority before work. How we research