Prepared by: Guelph Urban Forest Friends (GUFF)
We are a group of citizens working to maintain and increase the health, integrity and area of Guelph’s urban forest. We believe that the ecological and social benefits that trees provide offer immense value to everyone, whether the trees are on public or private property.
A brief history of tree planting goals and protection in Guelph
In 2012, the City approved the goal of increasing the city’s tree canopy to 40% by 2031.
Despite the planting of many trees under the direction of the City’s Forestry Department, there has been little or no increase in the city’s tree canopy. It now stands at around 23% (about 3 million trees), and approximately two thirds of it is on private property.
In 2023, in recognition of financial and operational constraints, the Forestry Department developed the One Canopy strategy. Using a mix of public and private land, it would plant at least 3.6 million trees to reach a 40% canopy by 2070.
The Private Tree By-law comes to council
To reduce the loss of canopy to unregulated tree felling on private land, amendments to the Private Tree By-law were brought forward to increase the number of trees protected.
How councillors voted
Voting to protect more trees.
Voting to protect fewer trees.
The colour follows the effect of each vote, not the column it sits in. The second motion below would have raised the size threshold and so protected fewer trees, which makes a vote against it the green side. DBH is diameter at breast height, the trunk measurement the by-law’s size thresholds use.
| Meeting | Motion | Result | For | Against | Absent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1, 2025 Committee of the Whole, Item 10.1 | Amendment to reduce the protected size from 50 cm to 30 cm DBH. Moved by Goller. | Carried (8–3) | Allt, Busuttil, Caron, Caton, Downer, Goller, Klassen, Richardson | Billings, Chew, Guthrie (Mayor) | Gibson, O'Rourke |
| Result: this vote lowered the size threshold at which privately owned trees are legally protected, so more (smaller) trees need a permit to remove. | |||||
| April 23, 2025 Council, Item 6.1 | Amendment to raise the protected size from 30 cm to 40 cm DBH. Moved by Chew. | Defeated (3–8) | Chew, Gibson, Guthrie (Mayor) | Allt, Billings, Busuttil, Caron, Caton, Downer, Goller, Richardson | Klassen, O'Rourke |
| Result: this was an attempt to set the protected size higher than the Committee of the Whole had approved, which would have reduced the number of trees protected. It was defeated. | |||||
| April 23, 2025 Council, Item 6.1 | Final approval of the updated by-law with the 30 cm DBH threshold. Moved by Downer. | Carried (7–4) | Allt, Busuttil, Caron, Caton, Downer, Goller, Richardson | Billings, Chew, Gibson, Guthrie (Mayor) | Klassen, O'Rourke |
| Result: Council gave final approval to the updated Private Tree Protection By-law with the thresholds approved at Committee of the Whole, not the higher ones. | |||||
GUFF’s position
We support the goal of a 40% tree canopy and were dismayed to see the target date deferred from 2031 to 2070. We believe this goal should be reached as soon as possible, to gain the benefits of reduced temperatures, absorption of CO2 and management of water, along with the protection of the ecosystem that a 40% tree cover provides.
The provincially mandated densification of dwellings and zoning regulations have made the inequality of the canopy across the city worse. They eliminate the root space that large trees need to grow a significant mature canopy. That means the more densely populated areas, which tend to be less affluent, will have less canopy than affluent areas with more space around buildings.
What GUFF wants council to do
We expect councillors to:
- support the funding required for the full implementation of the Private Tree By-law,
- demand zoning regulations that create the space for large trees to provide shade and health benefits in urban areas, and
- promote the value of trees to citizens, because trees on private property are the majority of the canopy.
Zoning requirements don’t support root growth of large trees. Regulations governing the unbuilt land around dwellings allow it to be broken up into small parcels and to host utilities underground, and both compromise the areas that large trees need.
Councillors need to budget the money required to implement the Private Tree By-law fully over the next few budget cycles, and move the 40% canopy goal from 2070 to a closer deadline with firm interim goals.
Financial support should include funds for:
- staff to fully respond to the permitting process required to preserve mature trees on private property
- public education, so that citizens appreciate the need for canopy and trees on private property
- initiatives to protect and increase the number of trees on private property, such as funds to assist with planting and skilled tree care
- planting of trees to reach the 40% canopy as soon as possible