ArborProof

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Ottawa, Ontario · Updated September 2026

Best Tree Services in Ottawa

The three highest-scoring tree companies that serve Ottawa, 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.

35companies serve Ottawa
16with WSIB clearance confirmed
6.1average ARB Score here

Ottawa’s top 3 by ARB Score

1

Croft Tree Experts

Serves Ottawa, Carleton Place, Arnprior, Embrun and Smiths Falls and more

4.9 · 826 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 613-883-5611Visit websiteFull profile →
14ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences826 Google reviews
6
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience11 years in business
3
Education & training2 ISA Certified Arborists
3
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1
2

Arboris Inc.

Serves Ottawa, Casselman, Prescott and Russell

4.9 · 88 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 613-298-3905Visit websiteFull profile →
13.5ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences88 Google reviews
2
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience15 years in business
4
Education & training1 Board Certified Master Arborist · 1 ISA Certified Arborist
5.5
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1
3

Davey Tree Expert Co. — Ottawa office

Serves Ottawa, Brockville and Almonte

4.9 · 391 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed
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 613-831-0225Visit websiteFull profile →
11ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences391 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 & independentNot founded in Canada
0

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 Ottawa

4Green Thumb Tree Specialists Inc.Ottawa · 4.9 from 229 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed105Arboplus (Ottawa)Ottawa · 4.9 from 755 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB not confirmed96Bisson ServicesOttawa · 5.0 from 263 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed97Tim-O-TreeOttawa · 4.9 from 162 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB not confirmed98Trillium Tree ExpertsOttawa · 4.5 from 29 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed9See all 35 companies serving Ottawa on the map →
Before you cut

Ottawa’s private tree rules

Permit needed in some areas or cases

Inside Ottawa's urban area, you need a City permit to remove a private tree 30 cm or wider, measured 1.4 m off the ground, if your lot is 1 hectare or smaller. Private trees in the rural area are generally not covered, but City-owned trees are protected everywhere.

Urban area, lots 1 ha or smaller

Permit for 'distinctive' trees 30 cm and up

A tree 30 cm or wider, measured 1.4 m off the ground, needs a permit before removal. Since February 1, 2024 the same 30 cm rule applies both inside and outside the Greenbelt (suburbs used to be 50 cm).

Urban area, lots over 1 ha or with a development application

Trees 10 cm and up are covered

On larger urban lots, or where a Planning Act application is involved, trees 10 cm and wider are regulated and a tree report is usually required.

Rural area

Private trees generally not regulated

The by-law's private-tree rules apply to the urban area (and mapped urban expansion areas). Rural homeowners do not need a permit for their own trees, but City trees are still protected.

Whole city

City-owned and boulevard trees

Any tree on City property, of any size, is protected. You need City permission to remove or damage one, and a minimum compensation of $400 per tree applies.

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
30 cm measured 1.4 m off the ground (urban lots 1 ha or smaller); 10 cm on urban lots over 1 ha or with development applications
Permit fee
$174 per tree, capped at five trees ($870), for removals not tied to development; $870 per tree, capped at $4,350, for infill development (Schedule D, in effect since Feb 1, 2024)
Replacement trees
Plant 1 new tree for each distinctive tree removed (no development). Infill development: 2 trees for each 30-49 cm tree, 3 trees for each tree 50 cm or larger. City trees: minimum $400 compensation per tree.
Common exemptions
  • Pruning done to good arboricultural practice
  • Tree confirmed dead by an arborist
  • Tree that is an immediate threat to public health and safety
  • Normal farm practices by a farming business
  • Ash trees infested with emerald ash borer (per councillor summary)
What’s changing

Rules under review

An April 2026 Environment and Climate Change Committee meeting (April 21, 2026) included a Tree Protection By-law document and a councillor motion on removal of municipal trees; the content and outcome could not be retrieved. No confirmed changes to private-tree rules in 2025-2026.

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 Ottawa 3-1-1 (Forestry Services)

3-1-1 or 613-580-2400Official 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 Ottawa’s top 3

We rank every company whose service area includes Ottawa 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 Ottawa

Kingston

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.