Thank you Guelph for helping us grow a great Private Tree Protection Bylaw for our community. Our surveys are now closed. Keep reading down this page to learn about what we've heard and what comes next.

Guelph values its tree canopy cover and the numerous contributions trees make to the health of our community. A private tree protection bylaw is one of the tools the City uses to protect and enhance tree canopy cover, and to help build a sustainable city.

Increasing pressures on Guelph’s tree canopy cover related to urban intensification and climate change, as well as updates to related policies and regulations, have made reviewing and updating the current Private Tree Protection Bylaw a priority.

In late 2022, the City retained a multi-disciplinary consulting team to lead the research and engagement for Guelph’s Private Tree Protection Bylaw update. In the spring of 2023 we reached out to the community to hear about your thoughts about and experiences with the private tree bylaw. Now we’re seeking your input to options identified for updating the bylaw!

Engagement summary from Phase 1

Thank you to everyone who participated in our survey and conversations throughout Phase 1. We've analyzed the information and summarized what we heard throughout the spring of 2023 to share in our What We Heard Phase 1 Summary.

Engagement in Phase 2 ended May 27

Thank you to everyone who shared your thoughts on this project along the way. We've reviewed feedback from online, in person and focus group conversations, and we've summarized what we heard during Phase 2 in this report.

Interested in learning more about the options being considered for updating Guelph's private tree bylaw?

• Check out the Phase 2 information session slide deck
• Read the background section of this page for the highlights
• See the Phase 2 backgrounder or see the Phase 2 Issues and Options report to dig even deeper
• Call or email us

What's Next

The direction for updating Guelph’s Private Tree Protection Bylaw will be confirmed based on

• the findings of the background review and assessments;
• the local context and issues;
• feedback gathered in Phase 1 and Phase 2; and
• input from City staff (e.g., legal, bylaw).

Our project team is meeting with various departments across the City to use the information we've gathered along the way and find the best solution for Guelph.

The updated private tree bylaw will be presented to Council for approval in the first half of 2025.

This bylaw, along with other planning tools, is expected to help the City accommodate growth and intensification while also sustaining and enhancing Guelph’s tree canopy cover. These efforts are also expected to help us build local resilience to climate change.

For more information, please contact:

Timea Filer, Urban Forestry Field Technologist
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3352
timea.filer@guelph.ca