Main bylaws of the City of Saint-Constant regarding trees

Tree Removal Maintenance Planting

Tree Removal

It is prohibited to undertake tree cutting work without first obtaining a certificate of authorization (tree cutting permit) from the City of Saint-Constant.

No certificate is required for trees with a diameter of less than 10 centimeters at 1.3 meters from the ground or a height of less than 1.5 meters for a conifer.

Situations where cutting is possible:

• The tree is dead or affected by an incurable disease, or signs of decline are observed on more than 50% of its crown;
• The tree is dangerous for the safety of citizens or buildings;
• The tree constitutes a nuisance and causes damage to private or public property, and pruning or other measures prove insufficient;
• The tree necessarily constitutes an obstacle to the electricity or natural gas distribution network and cannot be preserved by clearing the network through pruning or removal of disturbing roots;
• The tree prevents construction, expansion, relocation, transformation, demolition, or a use authorized by the City of Saint-Constant for which a building permit or certificate of authorization has been issued;
• The tree constitutes a nuisance to the growth and well-being of neighboring trees considered more desirable and of better quality;
• The tree is located in front of a main building, represents less than 40% of the wooded cover of a lot, and its cutting is intended for its replacement by a tree with a trunk diameter of 5 centimeters or more;
• If the location of the tree constitutes a nuisance to its growth, such as a medium-growth tree located less than 2 meters from an existing building and less than 3 meters in the case of a large-growth tree;
• The tree's trunk has become too large and prevents access to an area of the lot.

The Urban Planning Department may request an expert report from an arborist or any professional deemed appropriate by the City of Saint-Constant to certify the validity of the cutting request.

Following cutting, the felled tree(s) may need to be replaced if the minimum number of trees required for your lot is no longer met.

Anyone who contravenes any of the provisions of this bylaw commits an offense and is liable to a fine.

Cutting or Pruning an Ash Tree

The owner of an ash tree that is dead or has 30% dead branches must proceed with the cutting of the tree before December 31st of the current year.

A certificate of authorization is required to cut an ash tree in the City of Saint-Constant. The cost of the tree cutting permit is determined based on the cost of the work. A certificate of authorization is not required when the trunk of the ash tree to be cut is less than 10 centimeters in diameter measured at 1.3 meters from the ground.

It is prohibited to cut or prune an ash tree (species of the genus Fraxinus) between March 15th and October 1st of the same year, except in the following cases:

• The ash tree is dead or at least 30% of the branches are dead;
• The ash tree is dangerous for the safety of persons or is likely to cause serious damage to property;
• The ash tree hinders the growth and development of neighboring trees;
• The ash tree prevents the realization of a construction project authorized under the applicable urban planning regulations.

Disposal of ash tree residues:

Anyone cutting or pruning an ash tree in the City of Saint-Constant must dispose of the ash tree residues as follows:

• Branches or trunk pieces with a diameter not exceeding 20 cm must be immediately chipped on-site into chips not exceeding 2.5 cm on at least two sides;
• Between October 1st and March 15th: branches or trunk pieces with a diameter exceeding 20 cm must be sent to a treatment site authorized for this purpose by the City of Saint-Constant within 15 days following the cutting or pruning work;
  OR
  Between October 1st and March 15th: branches or trunk pieces with a diameter exceeding 20 cm must be sent to a wood processing company, or kept on-site, to be processed using a compliant method, per this bylaw, within 15 days following the cutting or pruning work;
• Between March 15th and October 1st: branches or trunk pieces with a diameter exceeding 20 cm must be processed on-site using a compliant process or kept until October 1st to then be transported, within the following 15 days, to one of the authorized sites for processing.

It is prohibited, between March 15th and October 1st, to transport ash tree residues that have not been processed using a process compliant with the bylaw.

Maintenance

When pruning, the natural shape of the tree must be preserved and a maximum of 25% of the total volume of the tree's branches may be cut.

Clear-cutting is prohibited.

It is forbidden to cut all or almost all of the branches (see our website regarding topping).

In the case of a dangerous tree, the owner of the tree must proceed with pruning or, as a last resort, obtain a certificate of authorization to cut the tree if no other solution is possible.

In the City of Saint-Constant, a tree must be trimmed or pruned so that the clearance under any branch complies with the minimum prescribed in the following paragraphs:

• 4.85 m above the roadway of a street where heavy vehicle traffic is authorized;
• 4.85 m above an access road for Fire Protection Service vehicles required by the applicable Construction Code;
• 4 m above the roadway of a street other than a street referred to in the 2 paragraphs above;
• 3 m above a sidewalk, a fire hydrant, a pedestrian path, or a bicycle path.

Pruning a tree is mandatory if it obstructs the vision of motorists traveling on the street, traffic signs, traffic lights, a public street lamp, or if the tree hinders street or pedestrian traffic.

During construction work, trees preserved on the premises must be adequately protected so that the crown, branches, and roots do not suffer damage.

Certificate of Authorization (tree cutting Permit) for Tree Removal

The processing time for the application is approximately two weeks, and the City of Saint-Constant strongly suggests starting the process in advance. The cost of the tree cutting permit is $30 per tree not replaced when the cutting is authorized under the city bylaw. The tree cutting permit is free when it concerns an ash tree affected by the emerald ash borer.

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

• Location certificate indicating the location of the tree(s) to be cut and a plan of the tree locations;
• 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;

Two means are at your disposal to obtain your tree cutting permit from the City of Saint-Constant:

• You can submit an online permit request.
  If you need to send documents that cannot be included in the online request, you can send them to the following address: urbanisme@saint-constant.ca;
• You can appear in person at the Urban Planning and Land Use Department located at 147 Saint-Pierre Street in Saint-Constant, with all required documents.

A city inspector will visit the site to validate the reason for the tree cutting.

For any questions regarding the certificate of authorization application (tree cutting permit), you can contact the Urban Planning and Land Use Department of the City of Saint-Constant at 450-638-2010, ext. 7410, or by email at the following address: urbanisme@saint-constant.ca.

Planting

A tree must have the following dimensions at the time of planting:

• A diameter of at least 5 cm measured at 30 cm from the ground;
• A minimum height of 1.2 m for a conifer.

For single-family, two-family, or three-family dwellings, the lot must always have a minimum of two (2) trees, at least one (1) of which must be a large-growth tree. If the buildings are considered row houses, one (1) tree in the front yard is required only. For multi-family dwellings of 4 to 8 units or 9 units and more, as well as collective dwellings, the lot must have one (1) tree for every seven (7) meters of lot frontage facing a public roadway and planted in the fixed street setbacks and fixed secondary street setbacks, depending on whether it is an interior or corner lot.

If, following the cutting of a tree, the minimum number of required trees is no longer met, the City of Saint-Constant will require the planting of trees until the required minimum is reached again.

Every dead tree must be replaced.

If tree planting is required, they must be planted within 12 months following the issuance of the building permit or certificate of authorization.

Tree planting is prohibited within 1.50 m of a fire hydrant, street lamp or electrical equipment, guy wires supporting a pole, or any electrical device connected to an underground network.

The planting of the trees listed below is restricted to prescribed planting distances between 10 and 30 meters minimum from all sewer or water lines, all houses and other foundations, public roads and parking areas, pedestrian sidewalks, as well as any above-ground or in-ground pool. To know the authorized distances, we suggest you contact the City of Saint-Constant for this purpose.

In areas served by water and sewer services, the planting of the trees listed above is prohibited.

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-Constant

147 Saint-Pierre Street
Saint-Constant, Quebec
J5A 2G9
450-638-2010 ext. 7410
communication@ville.saint-constant.qc.ca
saint-constant.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.