Tofino tree removal rules and permits

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

Tofino, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

In Tofino, no general permit for cutting trees on private land was found. The Significant Tree Bylaw protects only three Council-designated trees, and a development permit is needed to remove vegetation or soil in certain development permit areas such as riparian (within 30 m of a stream or wetland) and foreshore.

Key facts

When a permit is needed	No general permit for cutting trees on private land was found. Bylaw 856 protects only the Council-designated Significant Trees (three entries). A development permit is required before removing vegetation or soil in the Foreshore, Mudflats, Riparian (within 30 m of a stream or wetland), Tourism Focus, Wildlife Habitat and Cox Bay development permit areas.Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001 (Consolidated, PDF), s. 4 and Schedule A; Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 70 development permit areas, Part 70.6 (Riparian DPA); Official Community Plan, s. 8, Policy 24 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording No person shall cut, damage, or remove a significant tree and without limiting Council designates the trees identified in “Schedule “A” – Significant “Eik Road Tree” prior to the alteration of land (removal of vegetation or soil) within the Riparian DPA as illustrated on This applies to all areas that are partly or entirely located within thirty (30) metres from the top of bank of a stream or the high water mark of a wetland. Consider the development of tree protection regulations.
Exemptions	In those development permit areas no permit is needed to remove a tree in imminent danger of falling or already failed from a natural cause, or for yard or garden work within an existing landscaped area. Planting native species is also exempt.Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 70 development permit areas, Part 70.6 (Riparian DPA) exemptions · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Removal of a tree when there is an imminent danger of the tree falling and Yard or garden work within an existing landscaped area. The planting of native species trees, shrubs or ground covers for the purpose of
Fee	No tree-cutting permit fee found. Development permit fees (Fees and Charges Bylaw, 2023 column): Riparian, Foreshore, Mud Flats $1,040; Wildlife Habitat and Steep Slopes $260; Downtown, Tourism Focus, Cox Bay $2,081. Riparian, Foreshore, Mud Flats and Cox Bay fees are halved for residentially zoned property. Table may be out of date.Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1271 (Consolidated, PDF), Appendix, Table 4. Development Permits · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Wildlife Habitat DPA $250 $255 $260 Riparian DPA $1000 $1,020 $1,040 Fee reduced by 50% for Tourism Focus DPA $2000 $2,040 $2,081 Cox Bay DPA $2000 $2,040 $2,081 Steep Slopes DPA $250 $255 $260
Replacement trees	Not for private tree cutting in general. Where a development permit is needed (for example Riparian DPA), conditions can require native-species replanting kept up by the owner for at least 3 years, and security (cash, letter of credit or cheque) held against permit conditions.Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 70 development permit areas, Part 70.6 Riparian DPA, guidelines 13 and 14 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording property owner for at least three (3) years from the date of completion of the Security in the form of cash, a letter of credit from a Canadian chartered bank or
City trees	No one may cut, remove or damage any tree, shrub or plant in a park, beach or public place. Owners may not remove trees or landscaping from a boulevard without Council's express written permission.Public Property Use Regulation Bylaw No. 1098 (Consolidated, PDF), s. 4.1 and s. 6.5 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording No person shall cut, break, burn, injure, foul, move, disrupt, remove, trees, shrubs, or other landscaping are removed from the boulevard, except with the express written permission of Council.
Fine	Cutting, damaging or removing a significant tree: municipal ticket $1,000; bylaw notice $500. Court penalty up to $10,000 per offence. Failing to get a development permit: municipal ticket $2,000; bylaw notice $500.Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 1088 (Consolidated, PDF), Schedule 19 and Zoning schedule; Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1107 (Consolidated, PDF), Schedule A, Significant Tree Bylaw; Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001 (Consolidated, PDF), s. 6(d) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Cutting, damaging, or removing a significant tree 1(a) $1000.00 Failure to obtain a Development Permit 70.1 to 70.9 $2,000.00 Cutting damaging, or removing a Significant Tree $500 a penalty of up to $10,000 for each offence
Bylaw	District of Tofino Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001 (Consolidated, PDF), s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording District of Tofino Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001

How it works

In Tofino, the Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856 protects only the Council-designated Significant Trees (three entries). We found no general permit for cutting trees on private land. The OCP lists tree protection regulations only as a future policy.

A development permit is required before removing vegetation or soil in the Foreshore, Mudflats, Riparian (within 30 m of a stream or wetland), Tourism Focus, Wildlife Habitat and Cox Bay development permit areas, set out in Part 70 of the Zoning Bylaw. Check your property on the District's map.

In those areas no permit is needed to remove a tree in imminent danger of falling or already failed from a natural cause, or for yard or garden work within an existing landscaped area. Planting native species, emergency works and renovations that do not expand the footprint are also exempt.

Good to know

Conditions on a development permit can require native-species replanting kept up by the owner for at least 3 years, and security held against the conditions. They are set case by case; no standard replacement ratio is stated.
Development permit fees are halved for residentially zoned property in the Riparian, Foreshore, Mud Flats and Cox Bay areas.
Public land: no one may cut, remove or damage any tree, shrub or plant in a park, beach or public place, and owners may not remove trees or landscaping from a boulevard without Council's express written permission.
Fines: for a significant tree, a municipal ticket is $1,000 and a bylaw notice is $500; the court penalty is up to $10,000 per offence. For failing to get a development permit, a municipal ticket is $2,000 and a bylaw notice is $500.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

Ucluelet · Port Alberni · Cumberland · Courtenay · Comox · Tahsis

Tree removal permits in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Significant Tree Bylaw No. 856, 2001 (Consolidated, PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997 (consolidated, PDF), Part 70 development permit areas (read 2026-11-08)
Official Community Plan (PDF), District of Tofino (read 2026-11-08)
Fees and Charges Bylaw No. 1271 (Consolidated, PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Public Property Use Regulation Bylaw No. 1098 (Consolidated, PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 1088 (Consolidated, PDF) (read 2026-11-08)
Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1107 (Consolidated, PDF) (read 2026-11-08)

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