Main bylaws of the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand regarding trees

Tree Removal Maintenance Planting

Tree Removal

Any citizen wishing to cut a tree must first obtain a certificate of authorization (tree cutting permit) from the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand.

Tree cutting in the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand may be authorized for one of the following reasons:

• The tree is dead;
• The tree is diseased;
• The tree is dangerous for the safety of persons;
• The tree is a nuisance or may cause damage to property.
• The tree prevents the carrying out of public works or interferes with a construction project authorized by the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand;
• The tree is part of a conifer plantation serving as a hedge between two lots;
• The tree is infected or infested, causing serious problems or posing a risk of spreading to neighboring trees. An expert report from an arborist or a forest engineer will be requested to justify the merits of the application.
• The tree is located less than three (3) meters from a main building or less than one and a half meters (1.5 m) from an accessory building or a pool;
• The tree is affected by the emerald ash borer.

Cutting or Pruning an Ash Tree

For ash tree cutting, a cutting permit is required and several measures are in place to counter the spread of the emerald ash borer. We recommend contacting the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand.

It is prohibited to move or transport any ash wood residue within the territory of the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand. If you wish to transport or move ash wood, you must apply to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). This regulation must be respected, as anyone who contravenes federal regulations may be fined by the CFIA or face legal action.

Maintenance

It is forbidden to damage, prune, trim, or cut trees or shrubs located in the right-of-way of a public roadway or public square without first obtaining written authorization from the responsible authority of the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand.

Pruning or trimming work within the territory of the City of Saint-Basile- le-Grand must be done in accordance with the standards of the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ).

Certificate of Authorization (tree cutting Permit) for Tree Removal

The processing time for the application is approximately four to six weeks. The Tree cutting permit from the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand is free.

To apply for a tree cutting permit, the following information is required:

• Completed permit application form including the following information:
  • Location certificate with indication of the location of the tree(s) to be cut;
  • Diameter of the tree, its species, and the number of trees to be cut;
  • The name and contact information of the contractor;
  • Complete contact information of the applicant and the owner;
• Photos clearly justifying the reasons for cutting.

The following method is at your disposal to obtain your cutting permit from the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand:

• You can send the form and all other requested documents, completed and signed, to the following address: urbanisme@villesblg.ca;
  The form is also available at the Léon-Taillon building at 200 Bella-Vista Street.

A city inspector will visit the site to authorize or refuse the requested tree cutting in order to preserve the city's tree heritage and avoid unnecessary tree cutting on their territory.

For any questions regarding the certificate of authorization application (tree cutting permit), you can contact the Urban Planning and Environment Department of the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand at 450 461-8000, ext. 8400 or by email at the following address: urbanisme@villesblg.ca.

Planting

Any tree that is dead or showing signs of decline on 50% or more of its crown, and whose planting was required by this section, must be replaced by another tree.

Any tree cut in the front yard must be replaced in order to respect the minimum number of trees required by the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand, according to the following conditions:

If the front yard lot has less than forty (40) square meters of area (excluding the portion occupied by the parking area), the planting of only one tree is required by the city and may be planted elsewhere on the lot.

Every replacement tree must have the following characteristics:

• Must be at least two (2) meters in height;
• Must have a minimum diameter of 2.5 cm, measured at 1.2 meters from the adjacent ground for a deciduous tree.

When planting is required, at least 50% of the trees on the lot must belong to the order of deciduous trees.

Any variety of cedar (Thuja occidentalis) is not counted in the calculation of the minimum number of trees required.

Trees must be planted at a minimum distance of one (1) meter from the public right-of-way.

When required, the replacement of a tree must be done within a maximum of 12 months following the cutting.

In the City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand, it is prohibited to plant the following species within eight (8) meters of any street line and any public easement, and within four (4) meters of a side or rear property line:

Work Near Hydro-Québec Power Lines

We can undertake cutting and pruning work only near telecommunication wires or low-voltage wires. Please note that we are not authorized by Hydro-Québec for work to be performed near medium-voltage power lines and near electricity distribution networks. For more information on this subject, we suggest you consult the Aerial network section of our website. You will also find the procedure to help you find a company mandated by Hydro-Québec for this type of service.

City of Saint-Basile-le-Grand

Léon-Taillon Building
200 Bella-Vista Street
Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Quebec
J3N 1M1
450 461-8000 ext. 8300
urbanisme@villesblg.ca
ville.saint-basile-le-grand.qc.ca

Please note that the information provided on this page is for informational purposes only and has no force of law or legal value. For further information or to verify current regulations, please contact the municipality.