Tree touching power lines in British Columbia, Canada: who is responsible
BC Hydro and FortisBC, the two electricity utilities that publish tree pages for the province, each say who looks after which line, and WorkSafeBC sets who may prune near energized conductors. This page reports what those three pages say.
This page is for tree owners. It reports what the named sources say and is not advice about your tree: for that, ask a qualified arborist or one of the offices under Who to call.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 9, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
This page reports what the official source says. It is not legal advice: ask the office named here. It describes the pages of two utilities and one regulator. Other utilities in British Columbia, including municipal ones, have their own pages and are not covered.
What BC Hydro says
The BC Hydro page trees and plants near power lines says a property owner is responsible for keeping the service wires on their property clear of vegetation, and that branches rubbing on service wires wear through the weather coating and may damage home electrical appliances. It says BC Hydro proactively identifies, removes or trims trees when they become hazardous or too close to its lines, and that trees or branches touching power lines are a major source of outages in the province. For a concern about a tree near a power line it gives 1 800 224 9376 and says to ask for a vegetation coordinator. It says anyone working near lines needs to stay 3 to 6 metres away depending on the voltage, and that this covers the person, any branches being pruned, the tools and the ladder.
What FortisBC says
The FortisBC page why we trim or remove trees near gas and power lines separates the duties:
- FortisBC says it is responsible for trimming or removing trees near its power lines and gas lines, clearing vegetation around its equipment such as transformers, and inspecting trees that could pose a safety risk.
- It says property owners are responsible for maintaining trees near the secondary power lines that serve their property, hiring a certified utility arborist to trim trees on their property near power lines, keeping vegetation clear of power lines, planting at safe distances from utility lines, and the wood debris left if FortisBC crews cut down a hazard tree on their property.
- It says its crews trim when branches are within clearance limits of a distribution power line, aiming for trimming that ideally will not be needed again for at least five years, and remove dead, declining or otherwise unstable trees and trees growing within gas line rights of way.
- It says it does not give notice for routine trimming or vegetation maintenance, and tries to notify owners in advance, when possible, for hazard tree removals. When it cuts a hazard tree it does so at its own expense, and the property owner remains responsible for the debris and stump.
The page gives 1-866-436-7847 for a dead, damaged or dangerous tree near its power lines or electricity equipment, and says that before tree work on a property near lines the owner can arrange to have power service temporarily disconnected or wires temporarily removed, which it says in most cases has no charge. It says to stay at least 10 metres away from a tree that has fallen on a power line and to call FortisBC or 911.
What WorkSafeBC says
Part 19 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, on electrical safety, sets a minimum approach distance of 3 metres (10 feet) to exposed conductors over 750 volts up to 75 kilovolts and 4.5 metres (15 feet) over 75 up to 250 kilovolts. Section 19.32 says tree pruning or falling within the minimum distances from overhead energized high voltage conductors is to be done by a worker whom the owner of the power system has authorized. Section 19.33 says it is not permitted within those distances unless a certified utility arborist or a qualified electrical worker is on site directing the work, with at least one more qualified person trained in emergency rescue procedures present.
What the sources leave out
The BC Hydro page does not say who pays for work on a tree that is the owner's responsibility, and it does not set out a notice process before it trims. The FortisBC page covers its own service area, which it describes as the Southern Interior.
Who to call
- 911: a tree fallen on a power line: FortisBC says to stay at least 10 metres away and call the utility or 911
- BC Hydro vegetation coordinator, 1 800 224 9376: concerns about a tree near a BC Hydro power line
- FortisBC, 1-866-436-7847: a dead, damaged or dangerous tree near FortisBC power lines, and a temporary service disconnect
- WorkSafeBC: the regulator that publishes the Part 19 rules for work near energized conductors