Building near a tree in Toronto.
A tree on private property is protected once any stem is 30 cm across, measured 1.4 m up. Trees on City streets and in ravine areas are protected at any size. A shed, deck, patio or pool inside a protected tree’s protection zone needs a tree permit first: 2.4 m for a 30–40 cm tree, rising to 6.0 m at 100 cm.
From the City of Toronto’s “When to Apply For a Tree or Ravine Permit”, last modified January 29, 2026.
Your tree
Where is it?
Measure it
Wrap a tape around the trunk 1.4 m (4.5 ft) above the ground. For a tree with several stems, measure the biggest.
Tree protection zone, minimum sizes
| Trunk across, 1.4 m up | Private property | City street | Ravine or natural area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 10 cm | n/a | 1.2 m | 1.2 m* |
| 10 – 29 cm | n/a | 1.8 m | 3.6 m* |
| 30 – 40 cm | 2.4 m | 2.4 m | 4.8 m* |
| 41 – 50 cm | 3.0 m | 3.0 m | 6.0 m* |
| 51 – 60 cm | 3.6 m | 3.6 m | 7.2 m* |
| 61 – 70 cm | 4.2 m | 4.2 m | 8.4 m* |
| 71 – 80 cm | 4.8 m | 4.8 m | 9.6 m* |
| 81 – 90 cm | 5.4 m | 5.4 m | 10.8 m* |
| 91 – 100 cm | 6.0 m | 6.0 m | 12 m* |
| More than 100 cm | 6 cm per cm | 6 cm per cm | 12 cm per cm |
* Or the dripline (the ground under the outermost branch tips), whichever is greater. Urban Forestry can ask for more.
What the City counts as harm
- Building or replacing a shed, deck, patio, pool, retaining wall, driveway, walkway or raised garden inside the zone.
- Digging, trenching, changing the ground level, or storing materials, soil or equipment there.
- Driving or walking machinery over the roots, or nailing anything to the tree.
The City does not treat sheds, gazebos, pools or standalone garages as as-of-right building, so a permit to injure or remove a protected tree for one can be refused. Outside the zone, the City still asks you to protect nearby trees with a Tree Protection Plan made with an arborist.
Sources
- When to Apply For a Tree or Ravine Permit, toronto.ca, last modified January 29, 2026.
- Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 813, Trees, Article III, consolidated 1 September 2026 (By-law 402-2026): section 813-12.
lotmara isn’t made by or connected to the City of Toronto. Rules change: check the source before you build.