Aurora Tree Removal Permits — A Plain-Language Guide to Bylaw 6362-21

The basics

What the bylaw actually says

The Town of Aurora's Private Tree Bylaw — formally Bylaw Number 6362-21, in effect since June 2021 — restricts the removal of certain trees on private residential property without a permit. The intent of the bylaw is to preserve Aurora's mature tree canopy, particularly the legacy oaks and maples that define the town's character.

In plain language: if you own a tree larger than about a basketball in trunk diameter, you probably need a permit to remove it, with some important exceptions. The bylaw applies to all private residential land in Aurora — not just the heritage areas.

The 20 cm DBH threshold

The permit threshold is 20 cm DBH (Diameter at Breast Height). DBH is measured 1.4 metres above the ground — about chest height for most adults. A 20 cm diameter corresponds to a circumference of approximately 63 cm (about 25 inches) measured with a tape around the trunk.

For trees with multiple trunks growing from the same base, each trunk is measured separately. If any single trunk meets or exceeds 20 cm DBH, the permit threshold is met for the whole tree.

The five main exemptions

1. Dead trees — no permit required, but documentation strongly recommended. We photograph and document.
2. Dying trees — trees diagnosed (by an ISA-certified arborist) as in irreversible decline. Arborist report documents the exemption.
3. Hazardous trees — trees that pose imminent risk to people or structures. Includes leaning, split-stem, root-failure conditions.
4. Specific invasive non-native species — check the current bylaw schedule; the list includes some species generally considered invasive in southern Ontario.
5. Emergency removals after a storm — can proceed without prior permit, but the Town must be notified within 7 days with documentation (Section 6.1).

Every other healthy tree over 20 cm DBH on your private property requires a permit.

The application process

1. Site assessment. An ISA-certified arborist visits, measures, documents species and condition, and confirms whether a permit is needed.
2. Application package. We prepare the Town application form, attach the arborist's documentation, sketch the tree's location relative to property lines and structures.
3. Submission to Aurora Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services. Filed digitally or in person at the Town hall.
4. Town review. 14-30 days for a routine application. The Town can request additional information or, in rare cases, deny the permit.
5. Permit issued. Conditions attached (typically a replacement-tree obligation or in-lieu fee). We schedule the removal.

Replacement-tree obligations

For most non-exempt removals, the Town requires either (a) planting a replacement tree of an approved species within 12 months, or (b) paying an in-lieu cash contribution to the Town's tree-replacement fund. The size of the replacement obligation scales with the size of the tree removed — a small ornamental might require one replacement; a mature 60 cm DBH oak can require multiple replacement trees or a four-figure in-lieu fee.

We include the estimated replacement obligation in the quote so you're not surprised when the permit is issued. If you're planting the replacement yourself, we can recommend species appropriate for your soil, light, and Aurora's hardiness zone (5b).

Heritage Conservation District trees

Aurora has two Heritage Conservation Districts (Northeast Old Aurora HCD and Aurora Promenade HCD). Trees on properties within these districts may have additional protections under the Ontario Heritage Act, on top of the bylaw. Heritage Permits are handled by Aurora's Heritage Advisory Committee and have longer review timelines (4-8 weeks). If your property is in an HCD, we tell you during the initial scoping call.

Penalties for unauthorized removal

Bylaw 6362-21 Section 9 sets out the enforcement provisions. Maximum fines are $100,000 for a corporation and $25,000 for an individual per offence. The Town can also order remedial replanting of equivalent trees at the property owner's expense. Enforcement is complaint-driven — a single neighbour reporting an unauthorized removal can trigger an investigation, and the Town's enforcement officers can attend property without notice if there's reasonable cause.

The risk is not just monetary. Unauthorized removals create complications at property sale (disclosure obligations, title issues if a replacement order is registered against the property), with insurance claims if damage is alleged after-the-fact, and with neighbours if a boundary tree was involved.

How we handle this for you

On every Aurora quote, the permit work is included in the scope:

• Site assessment by an ISA-certified arborist (no separate visit fee).
• Application form completion and digital submission to the Town.
• Photographs, species documentation, condition assessment.
• Follow-up with Town staff if questions arise during review.
• Exemption documentation if your tree qualifies (no permit needed, but we still document for your records).
• Coordination of replacement-tree planting if you opt to replant rather than pay the in-lieu fee.

The permit application fee and any replacement-tree obligation are passed through at cost — we don't add a markup on Town fees. The administrative time is included in the quoted price.