Terrace tree removal rules and permits

Do I need permission to cut down a tree on my property?

Terrace, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

Terrace has no tree bylaw, and no bylaw requires a permit to cut ordinary trees on private land. But in Official Community Plan development permit areas, clearing and tree removal can count as development and need a permit. Trees in parks and on boulevards are protected. Ask Development Services first.

Key facts

When a permit is needed	No bylaw requires a permit to cut ordinary trees on private land. In OCP development permit areas a permit may be needed: the environmentally sensitive area rules list clearing and tree removal as development (staff may exempt), and hazard slope areas have tree permits. Floodplain development must keep riparian vegetation.Environmentally Sensitive Areas Strategy, s. 5.2, 5.3; Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2142-2018, DPA No. 2 Hazard Slope, No. 3 Floodplain · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Development that is proposed within ESA DP Areas, requires that a development permit application be Site clearing and removal of trees and/or Existing vegetation shall be maintained in order to avoid erosion, slumping and All development shall retain riparian zone vegetation (within the specified leave Permits for trees within Hazard Slope Protection areas for view enhancement purposes. All development shall retain riparian zone vegetation (within the specified leave strip areas) to reduce erosion and contribute to bank stability
Exemptions	Removal of hazardous trees that present an immediate danger to people or property, as determined by a certified Tree Risk Assessor, is exempt from a development permit, but City authorization is required. Removal of invasive plants recommended by a qualified environmental professional is also exempt.Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2142-2018, DPA Exemptions 9 and 10; Environmentally Sensitive Areas Strategy, Guideline 5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Removal of hazardous trees that present an immediate danger to people, public or private property, as determined by a certified Tree Risk Assessor. Authorization from the Removal of invasive plant species, as recommended by a qualified environmental Trees in ESAs that are identified as posing a high risk may be removed or modified
Fee	Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
Replacement trees	No replacement-tree rule found for ordinary tree removal. In the floodplain development permit area, landowners must replant riparian vegetation that has been disturbed.Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2142-2018, DPA No. 3 Floodplain, guideline 3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Where existing alteration of a property has disturbed riparian vegetation, ers shall be required to replant the disturbed areas.
City trees	No one may cut down or damage any tree, shrub or plant in a park or public place unless authorized by the Director, and no one may destroy or injure any tree, shrub or other growing thing on a boulevard.Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1942-2009, s. 2.1; Street and Traffic Regulation Bylaw No. 1313-1993, s. 45(1) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording deface, cut down or otherwise destroy or damage any tree, shrub or other plant material, unless authorized by the Director; No person shall at any time destroy or injure any tree, shrub, flower, foliage, grass or other
Fine	No ticket is specific to cutting trees on private land. If clearing in a development permit area counts as development, the ticket for development without a permit is $1,000. City land: $500 for cutting trees or shrubs in a park or public place; $100 for destroying or injuring a tree or shrub on a boulevard.Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1827-2005, Schedule 12 (Parks and Public Places) and Schedule 18 (Street and Traffic) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Deface, cut down or destroy trees, shrubs ....................2.1 $500.00 Destroy/injure tree, shrub, grass etc. on boulevard ........... 45(1) $100.00 Development without a Permit Destroy/injure tree, shrub, grass etc. on boulevard Deface, cut down or destroy trees, shrubs
Bylaw	No tree bylaw. Private land: Official Community Plan Bylaw 2142-2018 development permit areas (including Appendix A, Environmentally Sensitive Areas Strategy). City land: Parks and Public Places Bylaw 1942-2009 and Street & Traffic Bylaw 1313-1993.Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2142-2018, Title; Environmentally Sensitive Areas Strategy, Title; Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1942-2009, Title; Street and Traffic Regulation Bylaw No. 1313-1993, Title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording LIST OF AMENDMENTS TO OFFICIAL COMMUNITY PLAN BYLAW NO. 2142-2018 Appendix A of OCP Bylaw 2142-2018 Consolidated Bylaw No. 1942 – 2009 Bylaw No. 1313-1993 (Consolidated)

How it works

Terrace has no tree protection bylaw. The Zoning Bylaw has no tree rules either. Instead, the Official Community Plan sets development permit areas. The Environmentally Sensitive Areas Strategy lists clearing and tree removal as development, which staff may exempt. Hazard slope areas have tree permits, and in floodplain areas landowners must replant disturbed riparian vegetation.

Steps

Check whether your lot is in a development permit area on TerraMap, or call Development Services (250-615-4022).
If a permit is needed, apply to Development Services. No tree-cutting permit fee was found.

Good to know

Exempt from a development permit: removing a hazardous tree that presents immediate danger, as determined by a certified Tree Risk Assessor (City authorization is still required), and removing invasive plants recommended by a qualified environmental professional.
No replacement-tree rule was found for ordinary trees.
City land: no one may cut or damage a tree, shrub or plant in a park or public place without the Director's authorization, or injure a tree on a boulevard.
Fines: no ticket is specific to cutting trees on private land. If clearing in a permit area counts as development, the municipal ticket for development without a permit may be $1,000. In a park or public place, cutting trees or shrubs is $500; injuring a boulevard tree or shrub is $100.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Smithers · Telkwa · Port Edward · Prince Rupert · Houston · Fraser Lake

Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Environmentally Sensitive Areas Strategy (PDF), City of Terrace (read 2026-11-05)
Official Community Plan Bylaw No. 2142-2018 (PDF), City of Terrace (read 2026-11-05)
Parks and Public Places Bylaw No. 1942-2009 (PDF), City of Terrace (read 2026-11-05)
Street and Traffic Regulation Bylaw No. 1313-1993 (PDF), City of Terrace (read 2026-11-05)
Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1827-2005 (PDF), City of Terrace (read 2026-11-05)
TerraMap, City of Terrace (read 2026-11-05)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 7 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.