City expands and permanently adopts Significant Tree Maintenance Rebate Program
Burlington City Council has approved the expansion and permanent adoption of the City’s Significant Tree Maintenance Rebate Program to better support residents in caring for established trees on their property.
“Significant trees” are defined by the City's private tree by-law as trees that are equal to or larger than 75 centimetres in diameter.
The program is designed to encourage proactive maintenance and reduce removals of significant trees, and support canopy retention and the City’s goal of 35 per cent canopy cover by 2060.
This enhanced program builds on a successful 2025 pilot, where applications were accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and limited by available funding. A total of 37 residents received a maintenance rebate.
Feedback gathered through a post-pilot survey in fall 2025 highlighted strong community support and provided valuable insights into resident experience, accessibility, and program effectiveness. This input directly informed improvements to the program and its transition to a permanent offering.
To further respond to community interest and demand, the City has doubled annual program funding from $25,000 to $50,000, enabling more residents to participate and benefit.
Program details:
- The rebate will subsidize 50 per cent of maintenance costs, up to $1,000 per tree, per property.
- To apply, residents must live within the City’s urban boundary, where the private tree by-law applies.
- Before starting any work, residents are encouraged to speak with a qualified tree professional to determine the specific needs of their tree. All work must be approved by the City before proceeding.
- Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received a significant tree rebate grant.
The application form will open on May 13, 2026 at 9 a.m. and remain open until June 3, 2026. Consult your qualified professional and get your documents ready to apply! Successful applicants will be contacted by June 19 with information about their rebate.
For more details about the process, or to access the application form, visit: www.burlington.ca/TreeRebate
