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It is work for trained, insured arborists, not for a homeowner with a chainsaw. Removal is also regulated: many municipalities protect trees on private property and require a permit before a tree of a certain size comes down, and where emerald ash borer is present, ash wood has to be handled with care.
This page covers the signs that a tree has to go, when pruning is enough, permits in Toronto, Montreal and elsewhere, emerald ash borer and firewood, trees near power lines, how a professional removal is carried out, and stump grinding.
Signs a tree needs removal: dead, diseased or hazardous trees
One of these signs doesn't automatically doom a tree, but it calls for an arborist's assessment, especially if the tree could hit the house, a driveway, a play area or a line if it failed.
- No leaves in spring on all or most of the crown, or bark falling off in large sheets.
- Mushrooms or shelf fungi at the base or on the trunk, soft or crumbling wood, or large cavities.
- Deep cracks in the trunk, or a weak fork where two main stems are pulling apart.
- A new lean, with soil heaving or roots lifting on the opposite side.
- Large dead branches hanging in the crown, especially over a roof or walkway.
- Ash trees with a thinning crown, bark splits or heavy woodpecker activity, common signs of emerald ash borer.
Pruning or removal: when a tree can be saved
Many trees that worry homeowners can stay with the right pruning. Removing dead wood, thinning a dense crown, shortening a heavy limb over the roof or cabling a weak fork can keep a tree safe for years. Removal makes sense when the trunk or roots are compromised, the tree is dead or declining, it's an ash already heavily infested, or it can't coexist with the house or a necessary project.
Ask the arborist to explain what they see, and get a second opinion before removing a large healthy tree. Mature trees shade the house and soak up stormwater, and in cities that protect trees, a healthy one may not be removable without a valid reason anyway.
Tree removal permits: Toronto's private tree bylaw, Montreal's felling permit and neighbour trees
In Toronto, injuring or removing a tree on private property that is 30 cm or more in diameter, measured 1.4 m above the ground, is prohibited without a permit, and City-owned street trees of any size are protected. A tree that is completely dead can be removed without a permit, while an imminently hazardous tree may come down only after the owner requests and receives an exception confirmation from the City.
In Montreal, a felling permit, also called a certificate of authorization, is required; each borough sets its own size thresholds and replacement rules, and ash trees have their own procedure. Many other municipalities in Ontario and Quebec have similar bylaws, so check with yours before any cutting, and don't assume the crew has done it.
Shared trees need care too. In Toronto, a tree whose trunk crosses a property line belongs to all the owners, a permit application needs the other owners' consent, and a permit doesn't allow anyone onto a neighbour's land. Elsewhere, local rules and civil law decide ownership, overhanging branches and access, so talk to the neighbour first and put agreements in writing.
Emerald ash borer: removing ash trees and why you shouldn't move firewood
The emerald ash borer is an invasive beetle that the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says attacks and kills all species of ash. It is present in the southern and central parts of Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick, among other areas, and spreads mostly through the movement of firewood and infested ash wood, although it can also fly. A dying ash turns brittle, so it becomes more dangerous to climb and fell the longer it stands.
If you have ash trees, have an arborist check them. Some valuable trees can be protected with treatment, while heavily infested ones are usually better removed before they become hazardous. CFIA asks people not to move firewood, especially ash, out of regulated areas, so ask the removal company how it will chip or dispose of the wood, and don't take ash logs to the cottage or a campground.
Trees near power lines and storm damage: work for utility-authorized arborists only
A branch touching a line can energize the whole tree, and a falling limb can bring wires down with it. In Quebec, Hydro-Québec states that, by law, only an arborist it has authorized may prune or fell where a person, part of the tree or a tool could come within three metres of electrical wires; those arborists are members of the Société internationale d'arboriculture Québec. Hydro-Québec also warns that an owner who hires an unauthorized company could be held liable if one of its workers is hurt.
In Ontario, the Electrical Safety Authority tells homeowners to call a certified utility arborist or their local distribution company when trees grow too close to power lines. If a storm drops a tree or limb on a line, stay about 10 metres back, the distance ESA gives for downed lines, keep others away and call your utility, or 911 if there is fire or injury. Tree crews can start only once the utility has made the area safe.
How professional tree removal works: assessment, sectional dismantling, cleanup and insurance
Credentials help you compare crews. ISA Certified Arborist is a private certification showing that a person passed an exam on tree care, and many Quebec arborists belong to the Société internationale d'arboriculture Québec. Neither replaces proof of the company's liability insurance and workers' compensation coverage, which protect you if a limb damages property or a worker is hurt on your lot.
- Assessment: condition, lean, what lies below and around the tree, equipment access and whether a permit is needed.
- Planning: drop zone, rigging points and, where needed, a crane or bucket truck are settled before the first cut.
- Sectional dismantling: near buildings, the tree comes down piece by piece from the top, with limbs lowered on ropes instead of dropped.
- Felling in one piece: only where there is a clear, open landing area longer than the tree is tall.
- Cleanup and protection: branches chipped, wood hauled or cut to length, mats over lawns and driveways, and the inclusions confirmed in writing.
Stump grinding vs full stump removal
Once the tree is down, the stump can be left, ground or pulled out. Grinding is the usual choice on residential lots: a machine chews the stump and the top of the main roots into chips below the surface, and the deeper roots decay on their own. Full removal digs out the stump and root mass, disturbs far more soil and is mostly needed where a foundation, addition or pool will go.
- Grinding leaves a hole of chips that settles as it breaks down, so topping it with soil before seeding or sod avoids a hollow.
- The grinder works below the surface, so buried lines should be located first, just as for any digging.
- Some species send up shoots from roots left behind, which need cutting back until they stop.
- Ash stumps and chips should stay on site or be handled the way local rules for ash wood require.
Tree Removal: frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree on my property?
Often, depending on the tree's size and your municipality. Toronto requires a permit for private trees 30 cm or more in diameter at 1.4 m above the ground, and Montreal requires a felling permit with thresholds set by each borough. Dead trees and emergencies follow separate rules, so check with your city before any work.
Can I cut down a tree myself?
Even a modest tree can fall unpredictably, and anything that could reach a house, fence, car or wire if it went the wrong way is work for a trained, insured crew. Near power lines, Quebec law and Ontario's electrical safety guidance leave no room for doing it yourself, and permit rules apply whoever does the cutting.
Who pays if a neighbour's tree falls on my house?
It usually goes through home insurance, and the outcome depends on the policy and on whether the tree was known to be dead or hazardous. Photograph the damage, call your insurer before the removal if it's safe to wait, and keep any written warnings you gave the neighbour about a failing tree.
Does a tree removal company need to be ISA certified?
Not usually. ISA certification is a private credential showing that a person passed an exam on tree care, and it's a useful sign of training alongside proof of insurance, references and a written quote. Specific rules can apply, such as Quebec's requirement that work near Hydro-Québec lines be done by arborists the utility has authorized.
Sources
- When to apply for a tree or ravine permit — City of Toronto
- Apply for a permit to fell a tree on private property — Ville de Montréal
- Apply for a permit to fell an ash tree on private property — Ville de Montréal
- Emerald ash borer — Canadian Food Inspection Agency
- What to do before pruning or cutting down a tree — Hydro-Québec
- Homeowner landscaping and tree pruning — Electrical Safety Authority
Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Reviewed by Zubair Afzal on September 10, 2026. How we write and check our guides