ArborProof

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St. Catharines, Ontario · Updated September 2026

Best Tree Services in St. Catharines

The three highest-scoring tree companies that serve St. Catharines, ranked by LEAF 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.

15companies serve St. Catharines
5with WSIB clearance confirmed
3.1average leaves here

St. Catharines’s top 3 by LEAF Score

1

Arborwood Tree Service

Serves St. Catharines, Burlington, Hamilton, Oakville and Grimsby and more

4.9 · 506 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Verified by BusinessThe business confirmed these details on October 23, 2026.

Specializations

Tree removal (small)Tree removal (large)Tree pruning (small)Tree pruning (large)Hedge trimming (medium and large)Stump grinding (small)Stump grinding (large)Tree planting (small)Tree planting (large)Cabling & bracingFertilizationHydro line clearance24/7 emergency serviceCrane servicesOn-site consultationLegal / bylaw dispute assistanceArborist reportsTree protection plansTree risk assessmentTree appraisalAir excavationPest & disease treatmentLand clearingEducation and advocacyWood chips - UNrefined - LARGE quantityWood chips - Refined - LARGE quantity
Confirmed by the businessNot listed by the business
Visit websiteFull profile →
7/10LEAF Score

Score breakdown

50+ Google reviews506 Google reviews
5+ years in business25 years in business
Employs a Certified Arborist9 ISA Certified Arborists
Andrew Hordyk, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Anthony Ouwersloot, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Michael Murphy, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Noah Frigault, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Nick Owen, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Timothy John Werkman, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Bailey Anderson Hordyk, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Daniel Breukelman, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Evan Rolston, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Employs a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification holder5 with Tree Risk Assessment Qualification
Andrew Hordyk, Tree Risk Assessment Qualification See certificate →
Anthony Ouwersloot, Tree Risk Assessment Qualification See certificate →
Michael Murphy, Tree Risk Assessment Qualification See certificate →
Noah Frigault, Tree Risk Assessment Qualification See certificate →
Nick Owen, Tree Risk Assessment Qualification See certificate →
Employs a Board Certified Master ArboristNone confirmed
Certificate of insurance on fileNot posted
Valid WSIB clearanceWSIB clearance confirmed
Matched WSIB account: ARBORWOOD TREE SERVICE INC. See certificate →
Transparent pricingNot posted
Verified their own listingConfirmed by the business
Founded in CanadaFounded in Canada
2

Driftwood Tree Service

Serves St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Port Colborne, Fort Erie and Wainfleet and more

5.0 · 190 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Verified by BusinessThe business confirmed these details on October 28, 2026.

Specializations

Tree removal (small)Tree removal (large)Tree pruning (small)Tree pruning (large)Hedge trimming (medium and large)Stump grinding (small)Stump grinding (large)Tree planting (small)Tree planting (large)Cabling & bracingFertilizationHydro line clearance24/7 emergency serviceCrane servicesOn-site consultationLegal / bylaw dispute assistanceArborist reportsTree protection plansTree risk assessmentTree appraisalAir excavationPest & disease treatmentLand clearingEducation and advocacyWood chips - UNrefined - LARGE quantityWood chips - Refined - LARGE quantity
Confirmed by the businessNot listed by the business
Visit websiteFull profile →
6/10LEAF Score

Score breakdown

50+ Google reviews190 Google reviews
5+ years in business7 years in business
Employs a Certified ArboristNone confirmed
Employs a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification holderNone confirmed
Employs a Board Certified Master ArboristNone confirmed
Certificate of insurance on fileValid until July 12, 2027
We have verified insurance this year, but the policy may have changed. Verify with the company.
Valid WSIB clearanceWSIB clearance confirmed
Matched WSIB account: MARCUS MICHAUD / DRIFTWOOD TREE SERVICE
Transparent pricingNot posted
Verified their own listingConfirmed by the business
Founded in CanadaFounded in Canada

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

3

Safe Tree Ltd.

Serves St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, Port Colborne, Stoney Creek and Beamsville and more

5.0 · 369 Google reviewsWSIB clearance not confirmed
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing

Specializations

Tree removal (small)Tree removal (large)Tree pruning (small)Tree pruning (large)Hedge trimming (medium and large)Stump grinding (small)Stump grinding (large)Tree planting (small)Tree planting (large)Cabling & bracingFertilizationHydro line clearance24/7 emergency serviceCrane servicesOn-site consultationLegal / bylaw dispute assistanceArborist reportsTree protection plansTree risk assessmentTree appraisalAir excavationPest & disease treatmentLand clearingEducation and advocacyWood chips - UNrefined - LARGE quantityWood chips - Refined - LARGE quantity
Inferred from our research — not yet confirmed by the businessNot inferred — ask directly
Visit websiteFull profile →
5/10LEAF Score

Score breakdown

50+ Google reviews369 Google reviews
5+ years in business7 years in business
Employs a Certified Arborist1 ISA Certified Arborist
Zach Gilligan, Certified Arborist See certificate →
Employs a Tree Risk Assessment Qualification holder2 with Tree Risk Assessment Qualification
Ivan Fredette, Tree Risk Assessment Qualification See certificate →
Dylan Prior, Tree Risk Assessment Qualification See certificate →
Employs a Board Certified Master ArboristNone confirmed
Certificate of insurance on fileNot posted
Valid WSIB clearanceNo WSIB account found under this business name
Transparent pricingNot posted
Verified their own listingNot yet confirmed
Founded in CanadaFounded in Canada

Ties are broken by number of credentials (each Certified Arborist, Board Certified Master Arborist and Tree Risk Assessment Qualification holder counts, so someone with two counts twice), then Google reviews. Safe Tree Ltd. and Buchanan Expert Tree Care are tied at 5/10 leaves.

More companies serving St. Catharines

4Buchanan Expert Tree CareNiagara · 4.0 from 10 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed5/105Beaver Tree ServiceNiagara · 4.9 from 131 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed4/106Hartwick Tree & WoodNiagara · 5.0 from 38 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed3/107St. Catharines Tree ServiceNiagara · 4.5 from 86 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB not confirmed3/108Harper Tree CareNiagara · 5.0 from 43 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB not confirmed2/10See all 15 companies serving St. Catharines on the map →
Two views of a tree next to a house. On the left a branch touches the roof. On the right the branch has been cut back to a side branch just outside the branch collar so it no longer touches.
Homeowner question

If a tree is rubbing against a house, how far back should it be pruned?

Evergreens typically grow more slowly, so they don't need as much clearance. Most deciduous trees should be pruned back approximately 2 metres (6 to 7 feet) from the house.

We caution against clearing too much from the house side. It can injure the tree and pose a greater risk to your house. For example, if a high branch breaks, there is no lower branch for it to get caught on.

Before you cut

St. Catharines’s private tree rules

No permit needed for private trees

St. Catharines has no bylaw requiring a permit to remove a tree on your own property. You need City approval for any work on a City-owned boulevard tree, and larger woodlands are protected by Niagara Region.

Private property

No private tree permit

The City does not currently require a permit to prune or remove a tree on your own lot. Council studied a private tree bylaw around 2018–2019, but we found no sign one was passed.

City-owned trees

Permit needed for boulevard and City trees

Trees on City land, including the boulevard in front of your home, are protected by the City's Tree By-law 2017-326. You cannot trim or remove them yourself. Work needs an approved application and must be done by a contractor.

All of Niagara Region

Woodlands 1 hectare and larger

Niagara Region's Woodland Conservation By-law 2020-79 covers woodlands of 1 hectare or more. Most cutting needs a Good Forestry Practices permit, with exemptions for dead or hazardous trees and some personal use.

St. Catharines woodlands

Smaller woodlands also covered

St. Catharines is one of five municipalities that asked the Region to also regulate woodlands under 1 hectare. If your lot is part of a treed woodland, check with the Region before cutting.

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
Common exemptions
  • Regional woodland by-law exempts dead/diseased/hazardous trees, personal use meeting set criteria, building-permit work, farm practices and others.

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 St. Catharines Citizens First

905-688-5600Official 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
A year strip of months showing the dormant season as best for pruning live branches, the spring growth flush as the time to avoid heavy pruning, and dead or hazardous limbs removable any time.
Homeowner question

Does it matter when a tree gets pruned?

If the branches are dead or truly hazardous, then to protect your health and safety, it doesn't matter. Do it any time of the year. For live branches it is best done before the spring growth flush, when wounds close the fastest.

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.

A gutter with a guard on top. Wet leafs pile up on the guard and carry rain water over the front edge of the gutter instead of into it, so guards still need to be cleared from time to time.
Homeowner question

Do gutter guards work against leafs?

They can help, but it is important to understand that they are not a cure-all. Having a gutter guard does not mean the gutters will never need to be inspected and cleared of leafs from time to time.

This is particularly the case when leafs get wet and accumulate. The leafs can sit on the gutter guard and act as a bridge, carrying the water right over the top of the gutter.

Tree services near St. Catharines

Niagara FallsWellandBurlingtonOakvilleHamiltonToronto

LEAF 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.