I don’t know about you, but it seems that everywhere I look these days in central Toronto I see a tree in a “cage”. If someone were to drive through our neighbourhoods for the first time, they’d probably wonder why we think our trees are going to run away.

Now, we all know our trees aren’t going to run away, but they ARE valuable and that’s why we put them in “cages” to protect them during construction. We also all know how important trees are to our environment so there’s no need to discuss that here. (A client of mine asked me the other day “If trees are so important, why do we use wood fences to protect them?”) Instead, let’s focus on a few less obvious things to keep in mind when it comes to trees in central Toronto.

• If you’re buying a property with a view to adding on to the existing home or building a new home, make sure you look at the locations and sizes of any trees on the property. Once trees reach a certain size, you won’t be able to take them down without the City’s permission. This permission could be very difficult to obtain, thereby creating an added hassle factor to your project. Or it might be impossible to obtain, thereby stopping your project before it even begins. It’s also important to note the sizes and locations of any trees because the City may require your new home or addition to be built a specific distance away from certain trees and this, too, could add unwanted hassle to your project or render it completely unfeasible. How could you put a large addition on the back of your new home if you have to stay 10 feet away from the large tree that’s only 5 feet behind your home?
• Another thing to keep in mind is that it doesn’t matter if the tree is on your property or on City property. Once it reaches a certain size, it’s protected by the City.
• Trees are not our enemies. Apart from their environmental benefits, they add value to our neighbourhoods. I can’t tell you how many people have included “large trees” on their new home wish lists over the years. I can also remember driving through my father-in-law’s relatively new subdivision neighbourhood in the 1980s and finding it somewhat unattractive. He’s since moved, but I happened to drive through his old neighbourhood this Summer, almost 30 years later, and remarked to myself that it had become quite attractive. The houses were the same, but the trees had grown much larger.

When you live in the City, it’s good to be aware of all the details that can affect your plans and the value of your property. As always, if you know of anyone who’s looking for an honest realtor who really knows his stuff and won’t pressure them, Please Don’t Keep Me a Secret. I really appreciate your referrals. Thanks for reading and don’t be shy if you have any questions or comments!