Both Aurora and Newmarket require permits to remove trees on private property that meet each town's size threshold. On top of the municipal rules, York Region's Woodland Conservation By-law adds a regional layer of protection that applies to trees within mapped woodland areas throughout the region, including in Aurora and Newmarket. If you're planning tree removal anywhere in York Region, you need to know which rules apply, because the answer is sometimes both the municipal by-law and the regional one. Here is a complete breakdown of how tree permits work in Aurora, Newmarket and across York Region.
Quick Reference: Tree Permits in York Region's North Communities
Aurora's Tree Removal By-law protects trees on private residential property that meet the by-law's size threshold. As with all GTA municipalities, the size is measured as diameter at breast height (DBH) at 1.4 metres above the ground. Removing a protected tree without prior authorization from the Town of Aurora is a by-law violation subject to a fine and mandatory replacement requirements.
Aurora's established communities, including the older residential streets of Aurora Village, the Hunters Glen and Kennedy Street corridors, Aurora Heights, and the newer areas around Bayview and Wellington, all have mature tree canopy that falls under municipal tree protection. Aurora is a town that takes its green character seriously, and the by-law reflects that commitment.
Contact Aurora's Urban Forestry team or Building Services division to confirm the current application requirements. A standard Aurora tree permit application includes a completed form, an arborist report from an ISA certified arborist, and a site plan showing the tree's location. Submit through the Town's online portal or as directed by Aurora's current application process. The Town will review the submission, arrange an inspection, and issue a decision.
If you're planning any construction near protected trees in Aurora, the by-law may require a tree preservation plan as part of the building permit process. Engage an arborist early in your planning, not after drawings have been finalized. Our Tree Preservation Plans and Fencing service is available across Aurora and the surrounding area.
Newmarket has its own Tree Protection By-law covering trees on private property that meet the applicable size threshold. Like Aurora, Newmarket applies these rules across residential neighbourhoods and requires prior authorization before any protected tree is removed.
Newmarket communities including Glenway, Bristol-London, Stonehaven, Central Newmarket, Gorham-College Manor, Summerhill, Huron Heights and the newer communities near Yonge Street north of Davis Drive are all covered by the by-law. Newmarket has significant mature tree cover in its older established areas, and the by-law ensures that canopy is preserved.
Contact Newmarket's Urban Forestry team for current application requirements. Your application will include a completed form, an arborist report and a site plan. Newmarket processes applications through its own review and inspection process, and the timeline is similar to other York Region municipalities: plan for eight to twelve weeks from first arborist contact to permit decision during busy seasons.
York Region's Woodland Conservation By-law is the most important regional tree protection rule that Aurora and Newmarket property owners may not be aware of. It applies to woodlands of 0.2 hectares or more throughout York Region, including those on private residential property.
The key distinction is that the regional woodland by-law applies based on the presence of a mapped woodland, not based on individual tree size. If your property contains or is adjacent to a woodland meeting the 0.2 hectare threshold, removing trees within that woodland can require authorization from York Region, in addition to whatever municipal rules apply.
This matters in practice because many larger residential properties in the Aurora and Newmarket area, particularly on the north side of the Oak Ridges Moraine and in rural-residential zones on the outskirts of the urban boundary, do contain or abut mapped woodlands. Assuming that only the municipal by-law applies in these situations can lead to a York Region violation that adds significantly to the cost and complexity of the situation.
The York Region woodland mapping is available through the regional municipality. Check York Region's forestry and trees page to find out whether any portion of your property falls within a mapped woodland area.
Our ISA certified arborist handles tree permit applications across Aurora, Newmarket and surrounding York Region communities. We know both the municipal by-laws and the regional woodland rules and prepare applications that satisfy both frameworks when both apply.
This is the scenario that surprises property owners most often. If you have a tree on your Aurora or Newmarket property that is within a mapped York Region woodland, removing it can require authorization from both the Town under its municipal by-law and from York Region under the Woodland Conservation By-law.
The two applications are separate processes with separate review timelines. In some cases they can be coordinated, but they involve different reviewing bodies and different application requirements. If both apply to your situation, engage an arborist who is familiar with both frameworks from the start, and plan for a longer overall timeline than a standard municipal permit alone would require.
An arborist assessment will determine which rules apply to your specific property and tree, and can advise on how to structure the applications to move through both processes as efficiently as possible.
Parts of Aurora and King Township, as well as communities just north of Newmarket, sit within or adjacent to the Oak Ridges Moraine. The Moraine is protected under the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, a provincial land use framework that places additional restrictions on development and land alteration in specific Moraine zones.
Tree removal within the Oak Ridges Moraine's Natural Core and Natural Linkage Areas can be restricted beyond what municipal by-laws alone would require. If your property falls within Moraine designations, confirm the applicable rules with the municipality and potentially the Province before proceeding with any removal work.
For a straightforward municipal permit in Aurora or Newmarket, plan for eight to twelve weeks from first arborist contact to permit decision during peak season. If York Region's Woodland Conservation By-law also applies, add additional time for the regional review process. If Oak Ridges Moraine protections are relevant, additional time and documentation may be required.
Start early. There is no expedited permit process in any of these jurisdictions. The only effective way to manage your timeline is to begin the process well before your removal is needed and to submit complete applications from the start.
Tree removal permit approvals in both Aurora and Newmarket come with replacement planting conditions. Each municipality sets its own replacement requirements based on the size and species of the tree being removed. Larger trees require more replacement planting, and conditions specify minimum caliper sizes, acceptable species, and planting deadlines.
Both towns favour native species for replacement planting - trees that are ecologically suited to the regional landscape and that contribute to canopy continuity. Sugar maple, red oak, white oak, silver maple, black cherry, serviceberry and native conifers are commonly accepted replacement species. Exotic or non-native ornamental trees may not satisfy replacement conditions, so confirm acceptable species with the Town before making sourcing decisions.
Planting deadlines are tied to the appropriate planting season. In the York Region area, the primary planting windows are spring (April through early June) and fall (late September through November). If your permit is approved in summer, plan for fall planting. If approved in early winter, plan for spring. Sourcing larger caliper trees in the GTA takes time, particularly during peak spring demand, so start looking for nursery stock as soon as the permit is issued.
A dead or structurally compromised tree on your Aurora or Newmarket property still requires a permit to remove if it meets the protected size threshold. Being dead is not an exemption from either municipality's tree by-law. What it does do is strengthen your application significantly. A well-documented arborist report showing a tree is dead, structurally failed or posing a genuine hazard will move through the review process more smoothly than a removal request based on preference alone.
If you have a tree that poses an imminent risk to people or structures, contact the Town's Urban Forestry team directly and explain the situation before submitting a standard application. Both Aurora and Newmarket have processes for urgent hazard situations. Document the hazard with photographs and engage an arborist immediately to prepare the assessment. Do not wait for the standard review timeline if safety is a genuine concern.
Any reputable tree service company operating in Aurora or Newmarket will ask about permit status before removing a tree that could be protected. If a contractor quotes you for tree removal without asking about the permit, that is a warning sign. The property owner is responsible for by-law compliance regardless of what the contractor does or doesn't ask, and finding a contractor who handles permit-required work correctly from the start will save you significant trouble.
Ask contractors directly: "Will you confirm permit requirements before the removal date?" A contractor who confirms this and works alongside an arborist for the application process is a contractor working correctly in the York Region municipal context.
Do you need a tree permit in Aurora?
Yes. Aurora's Tree Removal By-law protects trees on private property meeting the by-law's size threshold. Removing a protected tree without authorization can result in a fine and a mandatory replacement order. Confirm current requirements with the Town of Aurora or an ISA certified arborist.
Do you need a tree permit in Newmarket?
Yes. Newmarket's Tree Protection By-law covers trees on private property meeting the applicable size threshold. Removing a protected tree without authorization is a by-law violation. Confirm requirements with the Town of Newmarket or an ISA certified arborist.
Does York Region have its own tree protection rules?
Yes. York Region's Woodland Conservation By-law protects woodlands of 0.2 hectares or more throughout the region. It can apply in addition to municipal by-laws for properties near or within regional woodland areas, regardless of individual tree size.
How do I apply for a tree permit in Aurora or Newmarket?
Submit an application to each Town's Urban Forestry division through their respective online portals. You need a completed application form, an arborist report from an ISA certified arborist, and a site plan. The Town reviews the application, conducts an inspection and issues a decision.
What is York Region's role in tree protection?
York Region's Woodland Conservation By-law protects significant woodlands throughout the region. It can add a layer of requirements for properties near or within mapped woodland areas, separate from each municipality's private tree by-law.
Related Guides and Services
We handle tree removal permits across all of York Region's north communities. Call us to book your arborist assessment and determine which rules apply to your property.