Tree rules in Mississauga: permits, protected trees and fees

This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It restates four City of Mississauga documents as read on October 8, 2026: the tree permits page, the Private Tree Protection By-law 0021-2022 as amended by By-law 0144-2025, the Public Tree Protection By-law page and the Tree Preservation and Protection Standards. The wider list of cities is on the guide to tree permits in the largest Canadian cities.

The 15 cm rule on private land

The permit page says nobody may injure, remove or prune a public tree without a permit, under the Public Tree Protection By-law. On private property it says nobody may injure or remove a tree 15 cm (6 inches) or greater in diameter without a permit, dead or dying trees included, under the Private Tree Protection By-law. The by-law itself prohibits injuring or destroying a tree of that size without a valid permit, measures diameter at 1.4 metres above the ground, and sums the stems of a multi-stem tree. "Destroy" and "injure" are defined broadly: cutting and girdling, but also compaction or re-grading in the tree protection zone, storing materials there, applying chemicals near the tree, damage from construction including driveways, and neglect.

The by-law lists cases where no permit is needed. They include trees under 15 cm, emergency work, pruning that removes not more than one-third of the live branches, rooftop garden trees, trees at a nursery or golf course, work by an electricity transmitter or distributor on its system, trees whose removal a Property Standards order requires, and removals needed to meet a condition of a site plan or subdivision approval. A tree designated under the Ontario Heritage Act cannot be injured or destroyed without approval under that Act.

Application, fees and review time

The application goes in online, by mail or at the Parks and Forestry dropbox on Mavis Road, with the form, drawings and an arborist report. The by-law requires an arborist report unless the tree is dead or dying, written consent of the neighbour for a boundary tree, and written consent of the owner when someone else applies. The permit page states a non-refundable base fee of CA$399.77 (HST included) and CA$139.72 (HST included) for each additional healthy tree of 15 cm or more, or any public tree. It says there is no fee when the trees are dead or dying. The City has 30 business days to review a complete application. A permit lasts a maximum of one year, cannot be transferred, and must be posted on the lot where it can be seen from the street. The by-law lets an officer issue a permit for a dead or dying tree, a hazard, a conflict with an issued building permit, a pool enclosure or a zoning-compliant parking expansion, and otherwise for a healthy tree on considerations such as damage to a building or public safety. It lets an officer refuse where the tree is healthy, where a development application is still open, where the tree is a species at risk, or where the tree is relevant to a heritage designation.

Replacement trees and deposits

The permit page says replacement trees are required when removing trees of 15 cm or more. One replacement is required for every 15 cm of diameter removed, so a 45 cm tree means three. A replacement is a native shade tree at least 1.8 metres tall if coniferous or 6 cm in diameter if deciduous, and the page says ornamental trees and shrubs such as Japanese maples, cedars and junipers do not qualify. A security deposit set by the City covers the planting. The page says it is refunded after an inspection one year after planting if the tree is healthy. The by-law adds that deposits can cover maintenance for up to two years, and that where a tree cannot be replaced on the lot an officer may order planting on City land or payment in lieu to the Replacement Tree Planting Fund.

Review, orders and fines

A person refused a permit or whose permit is revoked may ask for a written review within 10 days, with an administrative fee. The Commissioner of Community Services decides and that decision is final. The by-law states penalties on conviction of CA$500 minimum and CA$100,000 maximum. For a tree removed against the by-law, the fine is up to CA$2,500 per tree on a first offence and up to CA$5,000 per tree after that, and for a corporation up to CA$5,000 and CA$10,000. Failing to obey an order carries CA$500 minimum and up to CA$10,000 for each day it continues.

Construction protection zones

The Tree Preservation and Protection Standards, revised July 15, 2019 and aimed at development and utility work on public land, set a minimum tree protection zone from the trunk by diameter: 1.2 metres under 10 cm, 1.5 metres for 10 to 20 cm, 1.8 metres for 21 to 30 cm, rising to 6.0 metres for 91 to 100 cm and 6 cm per 1 cm of diameter beyond 100 cm. A second column for trees in open spaces and woodlands starts at 2.4 metres and ends at 12 cm per 1 cm of diameter over 100 cm. A public tree of 6 to 15 cm is replaced with one tree, 16 to 30 cm with two, climbing to nine trees over 120 cm. An arborist must be present or supervise whenever work happens inside the zone.