Main bylaws of the City of Sainte-Catherine regarding trees

Tree Removal Maintenance Planting

Tree Removal

It is prohibited to cut any tree with a diameter of 5 cm or more without first obtaining a certificate of authorization (tree cutting permit) from the City of Sainte-Catherine.

Tree cutting in the City of Sainte-Catherine may be authorized for one of the following reasons:

• The tree is dead or affected by a disease or an insect problem;
• The tree is dangerous for the safety of citizens or buildings;
• The tree constitutes an obstacle to the power distribution network;
• The tree prevents construction or an expansion;
• The tree constitutes a nuisance to the growth and well-being of neighboring trees;
• The tree is located in front of a main building, represents less than 40% of the wooded cover of a lot, and will be replaced by a tree of an authorized species with a trunk diameter of 5 cm or more;
• The tree completely prevents natural light from entering the building.

Cutting or Pruning an Ash Tree

The owner of any ash tree that is dead or has 30% dead branches must proceed or have someone proceed with the cutting of the ash tree, as the infestation is too significant to be treated.

Ash cutting must be carried out between October 1st and March 15th to prevent the spread of the emerald ash borer within the territory.

A certificate of authorization is required to cut an ash tree. The processing time is approximately 15 days.

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

• The ash tree is dangerous for the safety of persons;
• The ash tree is likely to cause serious damage to property.

Disposal of ash tree residues:

Anyone who cuts or prunes an ash tree in the City of Sainte-Catherine 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 Sainte-Catherine 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 process compliant with 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 process compliant with the bylaw or kept until October 1st to then be transported, within the following 15 days, to an authorized site for processing.

If an ash tree is cut between March 15th and October 1st, the ash tree residues that have not been chipped must remain on-site and cannot be moved before October 1st.

In the City of Sainte-Catherine, it is strictly forbidden:

• To store for more than 15 days ash tree residues that have not been processed using a process compliant with this bylaw, between October 1st and March 15th;
• To transport ash tree residues that have not been processed using a process compliant with the bylaw, between March 15th and October 1st.

Anyone who contravenes the bylaw concerning the cutting and pruning of ash trees is liable to a fine of $500 to $1,000.

Certificate of Authorization (Tree Cutting Permit) for Tree Removal

The processing time for a permit application in the City of Sainte-Catherine is a maximum of thirty (30) business days. The tree cutting permit costs $60. If it concerns the cutting of an ash tree, the permit is free.

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

• 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;
• Indication of the location of the tree(s) to be cut (front, back, or side yard);
• Reasons for cutting;
• Contact information of the performer if the work is carried out by a licensed contractor;
• Start date of the work;
• Photos clearly justifying the reasons for cutting;
• Any other information you deem relevant to the processing of the application.

Several means are at your disposal to obtain your tree cutting permit from the City of Sainte-Catherine:

• You can apply for a permit online;
• You can send all requested documents, completed and signed, to the Land Use Planning Department at the following address: amenagement@vdsc.ca;
• You can submit your permit application in person directly at City Hall at 5465 Marie-Victorin Boulevard. You must have all the documents necessary to process your application.

Once the certificate of authorization (permit) from the city is obtained, you must submit a planting proposal to the city to replace the trees that were the subject of the permit application.

For any questions regarding the application for a certificate of authorization (tree cutting permit), you can contact the Land Use Planning and Economic Development Department of the City of Sainte-Catherine at 450-632-0590, ext. 5130 or by email at the following address: amenagement@vdsc.ca.

Maintenance

It is prohibited to fell, cut branches, or damage trees located within the City of Sainte-Catherine's right-of-way.

The municipality does not regulate the maintenance you provide to your trees. However, it is strongly recommended to respect the natural shape of the tree, and the City of Sainte-Catherine considers topping, pollarding, and excessive pruning to be harmful practices.

Planting

On any residential lot in the City of Sainte-Catherine, a minimum number of trees must be maintained according to the following provisions:

• For single-family dwellings and two-three-four-family dwellings:
  • Interior lot: two (2) trees planted in the front setback, except for exceptions;
  • Corner lot/transversal lot: two (2) trees and one (1) shrub planted in the front setback and in any other setback facing a street;
• For multi-family dwellings and collective dwellings, there must be at least one (1) tree for every seven (7) meters of lot frontage facing a street and planted in the setback facing that street.

The minimum diameter required at the time of planting for any tree is 5 cm at 30 cm from the ground, and the tree must have a minimum height of two (2) meters.

When the number of existing trees is insufficient, trees must be planted to meet the minimum number of trees required.

It is prohibited to plant a tree within three (3) meters of a fire hydrant or a public street lamp.

At the time of planting, the center of the tree stump must be 0.5 meters or more from the property line bordering public land.

The planting of the following tree species is prohibited on all private properties in the City of Sainte-Catherine.

Furthermore, it is also prohibited to plant in the front yard or side yard any of the tree species listed in the table below:

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 Sainte-Catherine

5465 Marie-Victorin Blvd.
Sainte-Catherine, Quebec
J5C 1M1
450 632-0590, option 1
communications@ville.sainte-catherine.qc.ca
ville.sainte-catherine.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.