A Public Tree Permit is a formal permission from the City of Edmonton to work around City trees, based on an approved plan outlining tree protection and/or preservation strategies.
If work is being planned within 5 meters of the trunk of a boulevard and open space tree or 10 meters of a natural stand boundary, an application for a Public Tree Permit must be submitted to the City of Edmonton. This Public Tree Permit is a requirement under the recently enacted Public Tree Bylaw 18825 .
Work is defined as construction, demolition, excavation or laydown activities or vehicular access, other than on roadways, driveways, improved trails.
A Public Tree Permit is a stand-alone permit and will be required in addition to other permits issued by the City.
Natural stand boundaries and boulevard and open space trees can be found on the Public Tree Permit Map.
Natural Stands
Trees located in a natural stand are typically surrounded by native vegetation growing in a more natural state. This includes natural areas that are relatively undisturbed by human activity and naturalized sites that are undergoing transformation from a highly-maintained to a more natural state. Some visual indications that a site might be undergoing naturalization are long grass, unpruned shrubs, or groups of native trees and shrubs that have been recently planted.
Boulevard and Open Space Trees
Are all trees on City-owned land that are not located in a natural stand. These trees are typically located in sites that are more highly-maintained such as hardscape, boulevards, mown grass or shrub beds.
Please note that it is strongly recommended to measure the distance between your work activity and City trees while in the field. Online maps often do not have the degree of accuracy necessary for these measurements.
The boundary of a natural stand is typically located at the point where the landscape transitions from highly maintained to a more natural state, such as where mowed grass transitions to tall grass and/or shrubs.
Note: there may not be a transition if infrastructure, such as a trail, is located directly next to a natural stand, in such cases, the boundary would be the edge of the infrastructure. Please contact 311 to reach an Urban Forester if you are not sure where the boundary is located.
The Public Tree Bylaw applies to:
- All trees located on City-owned land
- Trees located on a City of Edmonton easement, such as a road right-of-way at the front of a property
Natural stand boundaries and boulevard and open space trees can be found on the Public Tree Permit Map.
If you are not sure if a tree is located on City-owned land, please contact 311 to reach an Urban Forester.
Either a developer, utility provider, homeowner, contractor or subcontractor can apply for a permit. Ultimately, the proponent conducting the work on-site will be responsible to ensure that a Public Tree Permit has been issued for their site.
It is advisable that you plan ahead and submit your permit application well in advance of your projected start date to avoid delays to your project plan.
Once submitted, an application will be reviewed within ten business days by an Urban Forester. If the submission meets all the requirements, a Public Tree Permit will be issued within ten business days. Applications that are missing information or require revisions will be sent back to the applicant with a request for revision and may delay approval. It is advisable that you plan ahead and submit your permit application well in advance of your projected start date to avoid delays to your project plan.
Extensions will be possible through the Self Service portal. Protection changes can be addressed with the Urban Forester who issued the permit.
Yes, the bylaw will apply to existing projects that are underway. Those projects will be required to obtain a Public Tree Permit for the remainder of the project once the bylaw comes into effect.
Public Tree Permit application and inspection fees will continue to be waived in 2024. Program and costing data from 2023 and 2024 will inform potential permitting fees for 2025 onward. The City continues to have the ability to levy fines and/or collect equitable compensation for damage to City-owned trees.
Additional fees may be applicable in the event of a change of scope in the project once work has begun.
All maintenance on City trees must be coordinated through a City of Edmonton Urban Forester with at least 10 business days notice. Costs associated with the required tree maintenance work are the responsibility of the permit holder.