Ottawa (June 25, 2009) – City Council has passed the Urban Tree Conservation By-law, which places restrictions on the cutting of trees on private property in urban Ottawa.

“Ottawa is a beautiful capital and we want to keep it that way,” said Acting Mayor Michel Bellemare. “The city is facing a tremendous challenge with the arrival of the Emerald Ash Borer and the impending destruction of many of our ash trees that make up about a quarter of Ottawa’s forest cover. The Urban Tree Conservation By-law will help preserve and protect our beautiful trees and urban landscape.”

Effective immediately, owners of urban properties larger than one hectare are required to produce a City-approved tree conservation report in order to remove a tree with a trunk that is 10 centimetres or larger in diameter.

As of September 1, owners of urban properties one hectare or less in size will be required to obtain a permit to remove a distinctive tree with a trunk more than 50 centimetres in diameter. The distinctive tree permit application will also have to be accompanied by an arborist’s report that outlines the reasons why the tree is being removed.

“Not only are trees beautiful and make the city aesthetically pleasing, but they also provide many benefits to our community,” said Councillor Peter Hume, Chair of the Planning and Environment Committee. “Among these benefits are helping homeowners save energy costs, helping filter surface water and stop erosion, and cleaning the air by absorbing carbon dioxide and other particulate matter. Trees also provide shade, privacy and effective insulation from noise, which makes them critical components of our urban environment.”

Prior to the enactment of the by-law, the City had no process in place to prevent the clearing of forests in suburban areas before development occurred, nor could it regulate the cutting of large, distinctive trees that stand out in the city’s urban communities.

“The by-law was introduced to protect significant trees in the downtown core and to prevent clear cutting of suburban forests,” said Councillor Rob Jellett, Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee (ARAC). “However, Council has directed staff to report back to ARAC in the fall on the possibility of extending the by-law’s provisions to include Official Plan designated environmental areas, including Rural Natural Features, Natural Environment Areas and Provincially Significant Wetlands, that are located within one kilometre of the urban boundary.”

The by-law does not apply to normal farming practices, orchards, tree farms, golf courses and cemeteries anywhere in the city.

Unauthorized removal or destruction of the trees covered under the by-law could result in fines ranging from $500 to $100,000, with the exception of the contravention of a stop work order, where the fine is not limited to $100,000.

For more information on the Urban Tree Conservation By-law, visit ottawa.ca/urbantree, or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401).