Main bylaws of the City of Varennes regarding trees

Tree Removal Maintenance Planting

Tree Removal

Outside of woodlands, forests, and forest corridors of metropolitan interest, tree cutting is prohibited without first obtaining a certificate of authorization, except in the following cases:

• The tree is dead;
• The tree is affected by an irreversible disease or an uncontrollable pest insect;
• The tree is dangerous for public safety or is likely to cause serious damage to property;
• The tree hinders the growth and development of neighboring trees;
• The tree prevents the realization of a construction project authorized under the bylaws;

Cutting a tree without obtaining a certificate of authorization (permit) from the city is subject to a fine.

Cutting or Pruning an Ash Tree

A certificate of authorization (tree cutting permit) from the City of Varennes is required to cut an ash tree. This permit is free of charge.

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.

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

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 public safety;
• The ash tree is likely to cause serious damage to property;
• The ash tree prevents the realization of a construction project authorized under the bylaws.

Disposal of ash tree residues:

All ash tree residues not processed using a compliant process must be sent to an authorized site or to a wood processing company to be processed using a compliant method.

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, to then be transported within the following 15 days to an authorized site.

In the City of Varennes, 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 of one year and March 15th of the next;
• To transport ash tree residues that have not been processed using a compliant process, between March 15th and October 1st.

Certificate of Authorization (tree cutting Permit) for Tree Removal

The tree cutting permit from the City of Varennes is free, and the processing time is approximately 10 days.

The following means are at your disposal to obtain your cutting permit from the City of Varennes:

• Submit an online request;
• You can appear in person at the following address: 175 Sainte-Anne Street, in Varennes, to fill out the form on-site and apply for your permit in person.

The following information is required to apply for a permit:

• Complete contact information of the applicant and the owner;
• Identification of the trees to be cut;
• Number of trees to be cut, tree species, as well as the reasons for cutting;
• Location certificate or sketch of the location of the tree to be cut;
• Photos clearly justifying the reasons for cutting;
• Contact information of the contractor performing the work;
• Start and end dates of the work;
• Fill out and sign the required form if you are applying by mail or by visiting the urban planning department.

For any questions regarding the application for a certificate of authorization (tree cutting permit), you can contact the Urban Planning and Environment Department of the City of Varennes at 450-652-9888, ext. 1300 or by email at the following address: urbanisme@ville.varennes.qc.ca.

Maintenance

The following are prohibited:

• Topping or pollarding a tree;
• Alteration of the bark, cambium, or roots of a tree;
• Modification of the soil in a way that harms the tree;
• Contact of a contaminant with the tree;
• Severe pruning of a tree exceeding 25% of the volume of the branches;
• Fixing any object to a tree, with the exception of an object used for maple syrup production;
• Bringing a tree into contact with heat from a fire or any other heat source;
• Modifying soil slopes and drainage in a way that obstructs the supply of water, air, or nutrients to a tree;
• Burying all or part of a tree trunk by adding fill.

Planting

Every lot in the City of Varennes must have a minimum number of trees, and the regulations are as follows:

• For every 10 m of private lot width, there must be at least one tree planted or preserved. A minimum of two trees per lot is required, except in the case of multi-family, collective, or mixed use. In these cases, one tree is required per 20 m² of green space;
• To determine the number of required trees, the lot width is measured between the side lot lines, 3.5 m beyond the minimum front setback;
• At least 50% of the required trees must be planted in the front yard;
• At least 50% of the required trees must be deciduous.

All planted trees must reach at least four (4) meters in height when mature. Furthermore, planted trees must have the following minimum heights at the time of planting:

• For deciduous trees: minimum height of 2 m;
• For conifers: minimum height of 1.25 m.

Within the territory of the City of Varennes, it is prohibited to plant a tree of any of the following species:

Tree Planting Grant Program

The City of Varennes offers a financial assistance program for the purchase of a tree to encourage the planting of new trees on its territory. We suggest you consult the City of Varennes website for more information on this subject.

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 Varennes

175 Sainte-Anne Street
Varennes, Quebec
J3X 1T5
450 652-9888 ext. 250
urbanisme@ville.varennes.qc.ca
ville.varennes.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.