Trees

What is a public tree?

A public tree is a tree planted by the Town in the public right-of-way. It has been inventoried, geolocated and included in a regularly updated database. The Town owns more than 10,000 public trees on its right-of-way.

The municipality does not maintain trees in residents' backyards, including those located in the Town's so-called "old lanes". The Town only maintains trees in alleys open to vehicular traffic. For more information on alleyways, please consult by-law 1441 art. 280.

Three-year pruning program

The Town maintains each of its trees with care and a rigorous pruning program. The town is divided into several sectors, and all trees in these sectors are visited once every 3 years for a complete pruning. During this pruning, any dead or problematic branches are removed. Cables (i.e. guy wires) can be installed if required.

To find out in which year the tree at your address will be pruned, consult the map(French only).

Cutting down, grubbing up and replacing public trees

Following an analysis of the condition of a Town public tree by a mandated forestry engineer or technical officer, a felling prescription may be issued. The tree will then be identified and a sign explaining the reasons for cutting it down will be put up.

Once the tree has been felled, the stump will be removed and the site repaired. A new tree will then be planted. The Town aims to complete all these operations within 12 months.

If you are concerned about the condition of a public tree, contact Public Works (see below for contact details).

Urban forest biodiversity and plantation

According to the latest data collected in 2023, 42% of the Town's trees are maples, 13% are honeysuckle and 10% are oaks. It is therefore very important to continue diversification efforts when planting. To accentuate diversification, the choice of trees to be planted is always made by the Town following an analysis of the street's biodiversity. Approximately 1 month before planting, residents will receive an explanatory letter with a description of the tree chosen for their address.

Want to cut down a tree? Check the by-law first!

A tree may be cut down in certain situations:

• The tree is dead or has contracted an incurable disease.
• The tree poses a risk to the health or safety of citizens.
• The tree prevents construction, use or landscaping that complies with municipal regulations and has been approved by the Town. Trees may not be cut down in order to allow the installation of a sign or to make the sign more visible.

For more information, see chapter 9 of Zoning By-law No. 1441 regarding landscaping (French only). In all cases, a tree-cutting permit is required. Contact the Public Works by email at publicworks@town.mount-royal.qc.ca or phone (514 734-2999) to learn how to proceed.

What to do with your branches?

A pick-up of tree and shrub branches is available on request from April 6, to November 2. 

This collection is on request only. Residents wishing to obtain such a collection must complete the online form, before noon on Wednesdays.

Only branches with a diameter less than 15 cm (6 in) will be collected. In addition, the quantity is limited to 5 branches 2.5 m (8 ft) long or a volume of 60 cm (2 ft) x 60 cm (2 ft) x 2.5 m (8 ft).

In order to get rid of branches and shrubs, please place your materials in an orderly way on the curb, the ends cut in front of the street after 19:00 on the evening before collection day or before 7:00 on collection day.

Branches less than 2.5 cm (1 in) can be placed directly in the green bin dedicated to collecting garden waste.

Note: All branches more than 15 cm (6 in) in diameter, as well as logs, stumps and roots of trees must be arranged at the expense of the owner or a private contractor.

To learn about the Emerald Ash Borer, please refer to the following section.

The emerald ash borer has constituted a problem in urban forests for several years now. To limit the spread of this insect pest within its borders, the Town has adopted By-law No. 1433 on April 27, 2015.

Do you own an ash tree? Have it treated with TreeAzin

Effective for two years after application, TreeAzin is a preventative treatment that should be administered to all ash trees with trunks more than 10 cm in diameter. 

This year, the Town will once again reimburse 50% of the cost of treatment.

Since there is no official supplier this year, we strongly recommend that you search the SIAQ website to find a contractor who will do the TreeAzin treatment while respecting the code of ethics of the Quebec Arborist Association. Once the work is done, you only have to submit a copy of the invoice with a proof of payment for your reimbursement.

Procedure for obtaining the grant

Once the work has been completed, you must submit a copy of the invoice marked "paid" and proof of payment such as a copy of a cheque (front and back), an email confirming a bank transfer or a statement to Public Works (publicworks@town.mount-royal.qc.ca) for your reimbursement. Contact Public Works at 514 734-2999 or by e-mail at publicworks@town.mount-royal.qc.ca to make an appointment with our arboriculture inspectors for an evaluation of your ash trees. We will guide you through the process by offering advice adapted to your situation.

If your ash is infested by the borer at a rate of 30% or more, it must be cut down.

Before cutting down any ash tree 10 cm or greater in diameter, you must apply for and obtain a permit to cut down a tree on private property. The permit is issued free of charge. For any additional questions or for more details, consult the information session about the emerald ash borer (french version only). 

In addition, you are eligible for a $5/cm diameter grant. Once the work has been completed, you must submit a copy of the invoice marked "paid" and proof of payment such as a copy of a cheque (front and back), an email confirming a bank transfer or a statement to the Public Works (publicworks@town.mount-royal.qc.ca) for reimbursement. The inspector will automatically add you to the list of tree donations for the tree replacement.

Tree replacement in case of cutting

If your ash tree has had to be cut down due to emerald ash borer, here is a list of trees that can be supplied free of charge by the Town to replace your tree:

• American Linden ''Redmond''
• Tamarck
• Sugar Maple
• Swamp White Oak
• Yellow Birch