Health of trees and forests

The City has more than 330,000 trees along its streets and strives to keep them healthy.

Why is the City pruning the trees?

• To keep them healthy;
• To control insects and to fight against diseases;
• To eliminate the risk of accidents;
• To clear the way for motorists and pedestrians;
• To reduce the damage caused by bad weather, including high winds, snow and freezing rain;
• To make room for streetlights, buildings and public services.

When and how do we prune trees?

The City regularly prunes its trees according to their species, their age and, in some cases, the place where they are located. To do this, she resorts to the following techniques:

• Crown Cleaning: Consists of removing dead or about to die branches from the crown of a tree and those that are sick, too tight against each other, weakly attached or lack vigor.
• Thinning of the crown: Consists of making a selective cutting of branches in order to increase the penetration of light and air into the crown. Thinning opens up the foliage of the tree, reduces the weight of the heavy master branches, reduces water consumption and helps the tree to retain its natural shape.
• Crown Elevation: Consists of removing the lower branches of a tree in order to clear buildings or the lane for vehicles and pedestrians, and to improve visibility.
• Crown Reduction: Consists of reducing the size of a tree, often to prevent the branches from touching the utility cables.
• Crown Restoration: Consists of removing the damaged master branches in order to restore a tree to a stable and appropriate shape. This intervention is often necessary following damage caused by a storm.

Why does a tree look so different after it has been pruned?

After being pruned, a tree can look quite bare. However, it will return to a more normal appearance during the following growing season, and it will have a shape and structure that will seem healthier and more aesthetic.

Can the City prune my trees?

The City only prunes the trees that are on its land, in particular the section of the roadway belonging to it (road right-of-way) in front of and on the sides of residential lots and municipal parks.

Ways to help us:

• Water the trees during periods of drought (see Watering your trees);
• Monitor the condition of the trees and notify the City in case of disease, damage or infestation;
• Limit construction work near the roots of trees – respect a distance of at least 10 centimeters from the trunk for every centimeter of trunk diameter (see Tree Protection);
• Many of the herbicides used on lawns can cause serious damage to trees on windy or hot days, by diffusing into the air. Read the label of herbicide products to check if you can use them near trees.
• Remember that a landscaped plot of land can increase the value of a property by 5 to 20%.

For information about the City’s Tree Pruning Program, call 3-1-1.

Request for maintenance of a tree

Request for removal of a stump

Request the removal of brush and branches as a result of municipal tree maintenance work

Watering your trees

Recently planted trees

Recently planted trees need to be watered frequently, as their roots are not yet established enough to be able to absorb enough water. It is therefore necessary to put water in the hole before planting and to water regularly afterwards.

During periods of drought, use a porous hose or conventional low-flow garden hose to carry out top-up watering. The best way to ensure that the water penetrates to the roots is to keep the watering ring or bowl around the tree. Place the garden hose in the earth and water for two hours twice a week. During a week when it rains for two days or more, it is not necessary to water.

It is best to water in the morning before the temperature warms up. If the water accumulates or drains elsewhere, it is because the flow is too high or the soil is saturated; then you should stop watering. Use a garden hose with a timer to make sure you don’t overwater.

Mature trees

A tree that was planted more than 15 years ago can survive without your help. Its roots can fetch the necessary water and trace elements even if the conditions on the surface seem very arid. Trees of all ages suffer the effects of long droughts. Trees planted in places where the conditions are not ideal, such as along sidewalks, near terraces or in raised lawns from which water flows naturally, will deteriorate quickly if they lack water. During periods of drought, regular watering can prevent insects and diseases.

Trees located near the foundations

When the weather is very dry, the soil particles keep the water molecules at a minimum level. Clay soils will really reduce in volume due to the loss of water, which decreases the ability of the soil to support adjacent structures such as foundations. Damage to the foundations caused by unstable clay soils can be avoided by ensuring that the trees located near the foundations are always well irrigated.