Item - 2025.MM32.21
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on July 23 and 24, 2025 with amendments.
MM32.21 - Strengthening Protections for Toronto's Tree Canopy - by Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin, seconded by Councillor Shelley Carroll
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
Caution: Motions are shown below. Any motions should not be considered final until the meeting is complete, and the decisions for this meeting have been confirmed.
Recommendations
Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin, seconded by Councillor Shelley Carroll, recommends that:
1. City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry, to provide additional tools to ensure the protection of by-law protected trees in their update on Urban Forestry Committee of Adjustment conditions through the City’s Growing Space for Trees initiative in their report to the Planning and Housing Committee scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025.
2. City Council request the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to include the City of Toronto’s private tree by-law as an applicable law for the purposes of issuing a building permit under the Ontario Building Code.
3. City Council request the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry, in consultation with the Chief Building Official and Executive Director, Toronto Building, to include information about the City’s tree by-laws and their relationship to the Ontario Building Code in the by-law review report anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Background Information (City Council)
Communications (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/mm/comm/communicationfile-195200.pdf
(July 23, 2025) Letter from Judy Gibson, Chair, Tree Canopy Preservation and Enhancement Committee (MM.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/mm/comm/communicationfile-195312.pdf
(July 23, 2025) E-mail from Nicole Corrado (MM.New)
Motions (City Council)
Speaker Nunziata advised Council that the provisions of Chapter 27, Council Procedures, require that Motion MM32.21 be referred to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee. A two-thirds vote of the Council Members present is required to waive referral.
That:
1. City Council direct the Executive Director, Environment, Climate and Forestry to report back on the feasibility of making information about the outcomes of contraventions of the City’s tree by-laws publicly available as part of its report back on the City’s tree by-laws in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Adoption of balance of the item.
Councillor Holyday, rising on a Point of Order, requested that Council vote separately on Recommendations 2 and 3.