Local tree-rule guide
Pickering tree rules
Current City page gives private-tree care guidance but does not establish a blanket removal permit for ordinary private-yard trees.
The local rule
Pickering's Tree Protection By-law regulates removal in designated Tree Protection Areas rather than every residential tree city-wide.
A permit is required to remove trees in the protected areas identified by the City, including many lands associated with watercourses, green spaces and natural features.
Application details
Pickering’s permit rule depends on whether the tree is in a protected area
- Pickering’s current Tree Protection By-law is not a blanket diameter rule for every residential lot.
- The key first step is the City’s protection-area map: a permit is required to remove any tree within a designated Tree Protection Area.
Pickering says protected areas generally run through and next to watercourses and green spaces. If the tree is inside a designated protection area, the permit requirement applies regardless of the simple diameter questions used by some other municipalities.
The City’s current homeowner guide lists a $155 permit fee to remove trees in a designated protection area, subject to the exemptions and special cases in the bylaw.
Pickering says dead, dangerous, diseased or severely injured trees still require a permit. When a certified arborist report confirms the condition, the permit is processed without a permit fee.
If the applicant does not submit the arborist evidence and the City’s arborist must inspect to confirm the compromised condition, the City lists a $50 fee for that review.
The Tree Protection By-law is actively enforced by the City and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. A site near a valley, watercourse or regulated natural feature may therefore have additional conservation-authority requirements beyond the City tree permit.
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 October 1, 2026. Rules can change; confirm with the local authority before work. How we research