Does Kitchener need a permit to remove a tree on a private lot?

The City's page says the private tree bylaw regulates trees more than 10 centimetres in diameter on lots greater than one acre, and that a tree conservation permit may be needed to remove a tree from a property larger than 0.405 hectares. No permit is needed for trees under 10 centimetres at chest height, for certified dead, diseased or hazardous trees, for trees within 5 metres of an occupied building, or where a building permit has already been issued for the work. So on a lot of one acre or less the private tree bylaw doesn't regulate removal.

Trees in road right-of-ways, boulevards and parks are City-owned, and ownership follows the property the tree stands on, not who planted it. The public tree bylaw, updated in June 2025, prohibits damaging City trees or their roots and requires approval and protection measures for work within 6.09 metres (20 feet) of a City tree; penalties can reach $10,000. The City's unit page adds that work affecting a tree on a shared property line needs the neighbouring owner's permission.

• Tree bylaws and working around trees: the City's page on the public and private tree bylaws, permits and exemptions
• Additional dwelling units: the City's note on trees on a shared property line

Tree and ravine limits is in the free check as a summary of the City's rule, from our hand-kept table, with a link to the City's page. It is a rule for the city, not a survey of the trees on a lot.

Free check: pick “Tree and ravine limits” See the sample report