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Hamilton, Ontario · Updated September 2026

Best Tree Services in Hamilton

The three highest-scoring tree companies that serve Hamilton, ranked by ARB Score. Every company in Ontario is checked the same way, on insurance coverage, arborist credentials, experience and reviews. No company can pay to be at the top of this page.

44companies serve Hamilton
22with WSIB clearance confirmed
5.4average ARB Score here

Hamilton’s top 3 by ARB Score

1

Arborwood Tree Service

Serves Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville and Grimsby

4.9 · 506 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing
SpecializationsHighlighted: what they specialize in (up to 6)
Call 905-957-5663Visit websiteFull profile →
17.5ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences506 Google reviews
5
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience25+ years in business
6
Education & training3 ISA Certified Arborists
4.5
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1
2

Beswick Tree Service

Serves Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford and Cambridge

4.8 · 870 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing
SpecializationsHighlighted: what they specialize in (up to 6)
Call 905-529-5612Visit websiteFull profile →
14ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences870 Google reviews
6
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience25+ years in business
6
Education & trainingNo arborists listed in the ISA directory
0
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1

The ISA directory is opt-in, so a company may have certified arborists we can't see. Ask.

3

Pineridge Tree Service

Serves Hamilton and Niagara Falls

4.8 · 366 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing
SpecializationsHighlighted: what they specialize in (up to 6)
Call 905-328-4323Visit websiteFull profile →
12ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences366 Google reviews
4
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience25+ years in business
6
Education & trainingNo arborists listed in the ISA directory
0
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1

The ISA directory is opt-in, so a company may have certified arborists we can't see. Ask.

Ties are broken by number of Google reviews.

More companies serving Hamilton

4Davey Tree Care Services (Hamilton office)Hamilton · 4.7 from 369 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed115DeVos Tree CareHamilton · 4.9 from 209 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed10.56Kodiak Tree ServicesHamilton · 4.8 from 631 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed107Buchanan Expert Tree CareNiagara · 4.0 from 10 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed108Hudson Tree ServicesBurlington · 5.0 from 214 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed9See all 44 companies serving Hamilton on the map →
Before you cut

Hamilton’s private tree rules

Permit needed in some areas or cases

Hamilton does not yet have one tree bylaw for the whole city. Older bylaws still protect some private trees in Dundas, Ancaster and Stoney Creek, and woodlands and City trees are protected everywhere. A new city-wide bylaw for trees 45 cm or more across (measured 1.4 m off the ground) has been proposed but not passed.

Former Town of Dundas

Dundas tree bylaw

By-law 4513-99 still applies in Dundas. A third-party guide says it covers trees about 15 cm across measured 0.3 m off the ground, and 10 cm in the Cross-Melville area. Check with the City before removing a tree in Dundas.

Former Town of Ancaster

Ancaster heritage tree bylaw

By-law 2000-118 protects certain large heritage trees in Ancaster. A third-party guide says it starts at 45 cm across, with species and distance from buildings also counting.

Former City of Stoney Creek

Stoney Creek tree bylaw

By-law 4401-96 still applies in parts of Stoney Creek. A third-party guide says it covers deciduous trees 30 cm across and conifers 15 cm across, on specified lots or land.

Whole city

Woodlands are protected

The Urban Woodland By-law 14-212 covers woodlands of 0.2 hectare or more inside the urban area. A separate woodland by-law covers woodlands of 0.81 hectare or more in rural Hamilton. Cutting in a covered woodland needs a permit.

City-owned trees

Permit for City trees

Public Tree By-law 15-125 protects trees on City property, including street trees. Do not prune or remove them without City approval.

Proposed

New city-wide bylaw not yet passed

The City consulted on a harmonized private tree bylaw from March 12 to April 23, 2026. It would need a permit to remove trees 45 cm or more across (measured 1.4 m off the ground) inside the urban boundary and would replace the Dundas, Ancaster and Stoney Creek bylaws. As of September 2026 we found no council vote.

Anywhere in Ontario

Trees on a property line

A tree whose trunk sits on the line belongs to both neighbours. Ontario’s Forestry Act says you need your neighbour’s consent before removing or injuring it.

Size limits, fees, replacement trees and exemptions
Which trees need a permit
Varies by former town (Dundas, Ancaster, Stoney Creek); woodlands 0.2 ha+ (urban) or 0.81 ha+ (rural). Proposed city-wide: 45 cm across, measured 1.4 m off the ground, urban boundary only.
Permit fee
Proposed harmonized bylaw: about $350 per permit floated by staff (Feb 2026, not final). Current legacy-bylaw fees not confirmed.
Replacement trees
Proposed: 1 replacement tree per tree removed; 3:1 next to the natural heritage system or when 5+ trees are removed. Not yet in force.
Common exemptions
  • Proposed: dead or hazardous trees, trees near occupied buildings, invasive species (expanded exemption list). Current legacy-bylaw exemptions not confirmed.
What’s changing

Rules under review

Harmonized Private Tree By-law: public consultation closed 2026-04-23; engage.hamilton.ca lists next step 'Finalize Bylaws and Guidelines & Present to Council (TBD)'. No council vote or effective date found as of 2026-09-24.

Not sure if you need a permit?

Ask the municipality before any work starts. A good tree company will also check for you and tell you who applies for the permit.

City of Hamilton (Forestry / 311)

905-546-2489Official information page →

Summary checked September 2026. It’s a plain-language guide, not legal advice. Bylaws change, so confirm with the municipality before you remove a tree.

Sources
Before you hire

What to check before you hire a tree service

Tree work is dangerous, and it’s expensive to fix when it goes wrong. Six questions worth asking any company, including the ones on this page.

  1. Ask for a WSIB clearance certificate and proof of liability insurance

    Tree work is one of the most dangerous jobs out there. We do our best on our end, but these certificates can change before we have a chance to update them. Some good companies will give them to you without you even having to ask. Bonus!

  2. Find out who will actually do the work

    You may get a Certified Arborist as your salesperson, but will the same be true of the person who works on your property? You won't know until you ask. A Certified Arborist may cost more, but it can cost a lot more if the work is done wrong and the tree dies early or your property is damaged.

  3. Get the quote in writing

    It should say exactly which trees, and whether cleanup, wood removal, stump grinding and so on are included. The more detailed the quote, the better.

  4. Ask who handles the permit

    If a bylaw applies, agree up front who applies for the permit and who pays the fee. Removing a protected tree without one usually means a fine for the property owner, not the tree company.

  5. If money is tight, try this

    See if the work can be scheduled in a slower season for a lower price. Clear obstacles (fences, gates, lawn ornaments, plants) before the crew arrives. Find someone online, such as on Facebook Marketplace, who will take the wood for free. Or change the scope of work, for example pruning only the lower half of the tree instead of the whole tree.

  6. Trees near power lines are a utility job

    If branches touch or come close to a hydro line, call your local hydro utility (the one on your electricity bill) first. Only crews the utility approves can work near power lines.

How we pick Hamilton’s top 3

We rank every company whose service area includes Hamilton by ARB Score. The score counts Google reviews, WSIB clearance, published insurance and pricing, years in business, ISA-verified arborists and Canadian ownership. We look up everything except insurance and pricing, which a company tells us itself.

Tree services near Hamilton

BurlingtonOakvilleMiltonBrantfordCambridgeMississauga

ARB Scores reflect public records and research on the date checked. Always confirm insurance, certification and WSIB coverage directly with a company before you hire it.