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Burlington, Ont.— March 10, 2025 —The City of Burlington is launching a Significant Tree Maintenance Rebate pilot program to help residents take care of established trees on their property. This rebate will subsidize 50 per cent of maintenance costs, up to $1,000 per tree, per property. Applications will be accepted from March 31 to April 25, 2025, on a first-come, first-serve basis.
This rebate is for trees that are 75 cm in diameter or larger. The City's private tree by-law calls these "significant trees."
Established trees offer important benefits that younger trees cannot provide, such as:
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More shade and cooling, due to their fuller canopies;
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Better air quality because of their larger surface area for filtering pollutants;
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Larger root systems that help absorb and hold more water, reducing stormwater runoff and the risk of flooding.
Protecting these trees is important because it can take decades to replace their environmental and community value. With this grant, residents can help reach the City of Burlington’s long-term canopy goal by maintaining these valuable community assets.
To apply, residents must live within the City’s urban boundary, where the private tree by-law applies. Participation in this pilot program is limited due to the dedicated budget of $25,000 approved by Council.
Before starting any work, residents are encouraged to talk with a qualified tree professional to determine the specific needs of their tree. All work must be approved by the City before proceeding.
Applications open March 31, 2025. The application form will be available at: www.burlington.ca/TreeRebate
The City will assess the success of the program and report back to Council in 2026.
Quick Facts:
- The City of Burlington is recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as a Tree City of the World for its commitment to:
- establishing responsibility for the care of trees setting rules to govern the management of forests and trees
- maintaining an updated inventory or assessment of local tree resources
- allocating resources for a tree management plan, and more
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In spring 2024, Burlington City Council approved the updated Urban Forest Master Plan. As part of the Urban Forest Master Plan and Woodland Management Strategy, the City will be working to maintain its current forest volume and increase its overall canopy cover to 35 per cent by 2060.
Burlington is a city where people, nature and business thrive. Sign up to learn more about Burlington at burlington.ca/subscribe and follow @CityBurlington on social media.
Quotes
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward
“We love our trees in Burlington and this program is our way to thank residents and help provide some financial support to pay for the cost of maintaining them. As we continue to be recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as being a Tree City of the World, it’s important that City Council decisions continue to uphold the principles that earned us this designation. This Council approved pilot-program will help make access to pruning, and other tree maintenance services more affordable for residents.”
Steve Robinson, Manager of Urban Forestry
“Mature trees play a crucial role in maintaining our urban canopy and provide several ecological benefits to the community. This new subsidy program is designed to make it easier for residents to care for significant trees on their properties. By helping to offset the costs of regular maintenance, we're encouraging residents to preserve these valuable natural assets, which will contribute to our goal of achieving 35 per cent canopy cover by 2060.”
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