---
title: Barriere tree removal rules and permits
question: "Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property in Barriere?"
place: Barriere, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/barriere
category: Building, renovating and your property
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Barriere
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/tree-removal/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/tree-removal.json"
---

# Barriere tree removal rules and permits

**Question:** Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property in Barriere?

**Short answer:** Barriere has no tree bylaw or general tree-cutting permit for private property. Near rivers and streams the Official Community Plan's riparian rules may apply, so ask the District Office before clearing near water. Trees on public land may not be cut without authorization.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Barriere, https://www.barriere.ca)  
**Cost:** No tree permit fee is stated in the District's Fees and Charges Bylaw.  
**How long:** Not applicable; there is no general tree permit.  
**Where:**
- Phone: District Office, 250-672-9751
- Email: District Office, inquiry@barriere.ca
- In person: District Office, 4936 Barriere Town Road, Barriere, BC V0E 1E0 (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)

## Key facts

- **When a permit is needed:** No tree bylaw or general tree-cutting permit. Near rivers and streams, the OCP's riparian rules (Appendix A) count removing vegetation as 'development' needing a qualified environmental professional's assessment report. Ask the District Office before clearing near water.
  - Source: [Official Community Plan, Appendix A riparian areas, Appendix A, 2.0 and Definitions](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=fa772811-6237-486e-8dba-626079c766b0)
  - Official wording: "(a) removal, alteration, disruption or destruction of vegetation;" … "An Assessment Report is required for the District of Barriere before development is approved to proceed."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Exemptions:** No general tree rules to exempt. Under the OCP riparian rules, removing a tree in imminent danger is exempt (emergencies must be reported to Public Works), as is hand removal of invasive species identified by a QEP.
  - Source: [Official Community Plan, Appendix A riparian areas, Appendix A, 3.0 Exemptions](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=fa772811-6237-486e-8dba-626079c766b0)
  - Official wording: "(d) Removal of trees when there is an imminent danger of the tree. All actions used to resolve emergency" … "Removal of individual invasive species identified by a QEP, by hand or in a manner that does not unduly"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fee:** None set. No tree permit fee is listed in the District's Fees and Charges Bylaw.
- **Replacement trees:** No general replacement rule. In riparian areas, the OCP requires a re-vegetation plan by a QEP and landscape architect if the land was cleared of native vegetation or is cleared during development, using native species.
  - Source: [Official Community Plan, Appendix A riparian areas, Appendix A, 2.4](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=fa772811-6237-486e-8dba-626079c766b0)
  - Official wording: "A QEP, in conjunction with a landscape architect, is required to provide a re-vegetation plan if the proposed" … "area to be developed was previously cleared of native vegetation, or is cleared during the process of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **City trees:** Without authorization from Council or the Public Works Manager, no one may cut, prune, top or remove trees, hedges or shrubs on a boulevard, road allowance, park or other public place (Traffic and Road Safety Bylaw No. 226, s. 5.1(j)). Landscaping on the boulevard other than grass seed or sod needs District permission.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw schedule, Schedule A, Road Right-of-Way Usage No. 0022, s. 1004](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=aaac793f-9b92-48b7-870d-baf4e54f2279)
  - Official wording: "Cause damage to grass/shrub/tree/asphalt/concrete/curb in boulevard" … "Road Right-of-Way Usage No. 0022"
  - Source: [https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=6dca72aa-2e39-4b4d-a714-580c4db4c21a, New Construction Guide At-a-Glance](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=6dca72aa-2e39-4b4d-a714-580c4db4c21a)
  - Official wording: "landscaping (other than grass seed or sod), decorative structures"
  - Source: [Traffic and Road Safety Bylaw No. 226, s. 5.1(j)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=4790a995-df1c-45c4-8407-32286498d732)
  - Official wording: "Except as specifically authorized, directed or permitted by Council, the Public Works" … "alter or remove any fence or guardrail, or cut, prune, top or remove any trees," … "hedges, shrubs or other plantings from a boulevard, road allowance, park or other"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** No tree-cutting ticket amount found. Cutting trees on public land without authorization breaks Traffic and Road Safety Bylaw No. 226; on conviction the fine is up to $2,000.
  - Source: [Traffic and Road Safety Bylaw No. 226, s. 16.1](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=4790a995-df1c-45c4-8407-32286498d732)
  - Official wording: "commits an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to paying a fine of up to Two"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** No tree protection bylaw. Trees on public land: Traffic and Road Safety Bylaw No. 226, s. 5.1(j).
  - Source: [Traffic and Road Safety Bylaw No. 226, title and s. 5.1(j)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=4790a995-df1c-45c4-8407-32286498d732)
  - Official wording: "TRAFFIC AND ROAD SAFETY BYLAW NO. 226" … "alter or remove any fence or guardrail, or cut, prune, top or remove any trees,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The District of Barriere has no tree protection bylaw and no general permit for cutting trees on private property. We checked the bylaw library, the zoning and building bylaws, the Nuisance Bylaw and the Official Community Plan (OCP). No tree permit fee is listed in the Fees and Charges Bylaw.

Near rivers and streams the [OCP's riparian rules (Appendix A)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=fa772811-6237-486e-8dba-626079c766b0) count removing vegetation as development, which needs a qualified environmental professional's assessment report. Existing trees and native vegetation in the riparian area are to be kept as much as possible. Ask the District Office before clearing near water.

## Steps

1. Check whether your lot is near a river or stream.
2. If it is, call the District Office before cutting anything.
3. For a tree on a boulevard, road allowance or park, ask the District for authorization first.

## Good to know

- Without authorization from Council or the Public Works Manager, no one may cut, prune, top or remove trees, hedges or shrubs on a boulevard, road allowance, park or other public place ([Traffic and Road Safety Bylaw No. 226](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=4790a995-df1c-45c4-8407-32286498d732), s. 5.1(j)). On conviction the fine is up to $2,000. No tree-cutting ticket amount was found.
- Under the OCP riparian rules, removing a tree in imminent danger is exempt (report emergencies to Public Works), as is hand removal of invasive species identified by a qualified environmental professional.
- There is no general replacement-planting rule. In riparian areas, land cleared of native vegetation needs a re-vegetation plan using native species.

## Official forms and pages

- [Official Community Plan, Appendix A riparian rules (PDF)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=fa772811-6237-486e-8dba-626079c766b0)
- [Traffic and Road Safety Bylaw No. 226 (PDF)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=4790a995-df1c-45c4-8407-32286498d732)

## Related questions

- [Barriere zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Barriere building permits: when you need one and how to apply](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/building-permit.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tree-removal.md)
- [Clearwater](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/tree-removal.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/tree-removal.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/tree-removal.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/tree-removal.md)
- [Ashcroft](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/tree-removal.md)
- [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/tree-removal.md)

## Sources

- [Official Community Plan, Appendix A riparian areas (PDF)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=fa772811-6237-486e-8dba-626079c766b0) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Traffic and Road Safety Bylaw No. 226 (PDF)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=4790a995-df1c-45c4-8407-32286498d732) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw schedule, District of Barriere (PDF)](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=aaac793f-9b92-48b7-870d-baf4e54f2279) (read 2026-11-08)
- [https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=6dca72aa-2e39-4b4d-a714-580c4db4c21a](https://www.barriere.ca/Home/DownloadDocument?docId=6dca72aa-2e39-4b4d-a714-580c4db4c21a) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Barriere. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/tree-removal/_