Trees touching or growing into distribution lines on your street are the responsibility of Toronto Hydro, not the homeowner. But trees on your private property growing toward those lines are your responsibility to manage. The line between those two situations is not always obvious, and the stakes are high enough that getting it wrong matters.
Toronto has two overlapping electrical systems. Toronto Hydro operates the local distribution network, which includes the lines that run along residential streets and connect to your home. Hydro One operates the high-voltage transmission infrastructure that carries power into the city from generating stations. Most residential power line issues in Toronto involve Toronto Hydro lines.
The general rule is that the utility owns the lines and is responsible for keeping them clear. Trees on City property, including boulevard trees, are also managed by the City of Toronto Urban Forestry. Trees on your private property are your responsibility.
Toronto Hydro's line-clearance crews routinely trim trees that are growing into or near their distribution lines. This includes boulevard trees and trees on private property where branches are actively contacting the lines. They do this on their schedule and to their clearance standards, not yours.
Toronto Hydro will not remove a healthy tree from your property simply because you want it gone, even if it is near lines. Their mandate is to maintain safe clearance for their infrastructure. If a tree is healthy and not yet in contact with the lines, they may assess it but will not act until it poses a real hazard to the system.
Never attempt to prune near live power lines yourself. The minimum safe approach distance for an untrained person near standard distribution lines in Ontario is 3 metres. Contact with live distribution lines can be fatal. This is not a DIY job under any circumstances. Always contact Toronto Hydro (416-542-8000) or an ISA certified arborist with line-clearance qualifications.
If a tree on your property has branches growing toward utility lines, you are responsible for managing that tree. You have a few options. You can contact Toronto Hydro and ask them to assess it. In some cases where the situation is urgent, they will act. But if the tree is not yet in contact with the lines and they deem it low priority, you may need to hire an arborist yourself.
Waiting until the tree is actually in the lines before acting is not a smart strategy. Work in active proximity to live lines is significantly more complex and expensive than work done before the tree reaches that point. An arborist who assesses the situation early can often directionally prune the tree away from the lines before the situation becomes critical.
The presence of power lines does not exempt a tree from Toronto's Chapter 813 permit requirement. If the tree measures 30cm DBH or more on private property, a permit is required for removal regardless of the reason. That said, proximity to power lines and documented hazard to utility infrastructure can strengthen the arborist report that accompanies the permit application and may support faster review. Our arborist prepares the report as part of the permit process.
We assess the situation, confirm jurisdiction, prepare the arborist report and handle the permit application where needed. Serving Toronto, North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough and the surrounding GTA.
When our arborist visits a property with a tree near utility lines, the first step is determining exactly which lines are involved and who owns them. We then assess whether the tree can be directionally pruned to create clearance without compromising its structural integrity, or whether removal is the appropriate outcome.
For any work within the minimum approach distance of live distribution lines, we coordinate with Toronto Hydro in advance. In many cases, Hydro can de-energize the relevant section temporarily while work is completed. This protects the crew and ensures the work meets utility safety standards.
Our arborist will also confirm whether the tree triggers Chapter 813 and begin the permit process if required. We provide a written scope and a fixed quote before any work begins.
Most confusion around power line trees comes down to one question: whose land is the tree on? If the tree is on City-owned boulevard land between the sidewalk and the road, it is a City tree and Toronto Urban Forestry is responsible for it. If the tree is on your private property, even if it is close to the boulevard, you are responsible for managing it. If branches from your tree cross into the air space over the street or over the power lines, your responsibility follows those branches.
Toronto Hydro works in the public right-of-way. When they trim for line clearance, they are working on or above public land. When your tree extends into that space, they may trim the encroaching branches as part of their clearance program. But the tree itself remains your property and your responsibility to manage.
When our arborist assesses a tree near power lines, the first thing we establish is the exact line type and who operates it. Distribution lines run at a lower height along residential streets and connect to homes through service drops. These are Toronto Hydro lines. Transmission lines run at much greater heights and carry high voltage between substations. These are Hydro One infrastructure and are rarely encountered in residential settings in Toronto.
Once we know the line type, we assess the tree's growth trajectory, whether directional pruning is feasible and how much of the crown would need to come off to create meaningful clearance, and whether the tree is healthy enough to tolerate the required pruning. A tree that would need more than a third of its live crown removed to achieve safe clearance is usually better removed entirely. We then provide a written recommendation and a quote covering either the pruning scope or the removal and permit process.
For any work within the minimum approach distance of live distribution lines, we confirm the de-energization plan with Toronto Hydro in advance. This step is non-negotiable for the safety of the crew we dispatch and is standard practice for reputable line-clearance arborists in the GTA.
Who do I call if a tree is growing into power lines in Toronto?
For distribution lines on your street, contact Toronto Hydro at 416-542-8000. They have a vegetation management program and will assess trees touching or threatening their infrastructure. If the tree is on your private property growing toward but not yet touching the lines, contact an ISA certified arborist to assess your options before the situation becomes urgent.
Will Toronto Hydro remove a tree for free?
Toronto Hydro will trim or remove a tree if it directly threatens their distribution infrastructure, and they cover that cost. However, they make decisions based on line safety, not homeowner preference. If you want a tree removed for other reasons and it happens to be near lines, that cost falls to you and the appropriate tree removal permit still applies.
Do I need a permit to remove a tree near power lines in Toronto?
Yes. Proximity to power lines does not create an exemption from Chapter 813. A tree measuring 30cm DBH or more on private property requires a permit regardless of its location. In some cases, proximity to infrastructure can support the hazard argument in the arborist report and may speed up permit review.
Is it safe for an arborist to work near live power lines?
Work within the minimum approach distance of live lines requires a qualified line-clearance arborist with specific training. Standard ISA certification is not sufficient for active line-clearance work. A reputable tree service will have qualified personnel or will coordinate with Toronto Hydro to de-energize the relevant section before crews begin work.
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Our ISA certified arborists assess power line situations, confirm permit requirements and coordinate with Toronto Hydro where needed. We serve all Toronto neighbourhoods, North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough and surrounding areas.