What Counts as a Public Tree
A tree beside a front yard can still be a public tree. Brandon's Tree Protection By-law No. 7285 defines public trees to include those with 50% or more of the main stem on City property, including streets, boulevards and public greenspaces. The definition includes every part of the tree, including its roots. A tree partly on City land with more than 50% of its main stem on private property is defined separately as a straddling tree.
That distinction matters before making a landscaping or removal plan. Start with the location of the stem and the property boundary rather than assuming that mowing the grass beneath a tree makes it private. Where that location is uncertain, resolve the ownership question before planning cuts, excavation or planting around it.
What the Tree Protection By-law Prohibits
The City's consolidated Tree Protection By-law, as amended by By-law No. 7335, prohibits removing, cutting, pruning, applying pesticide to or otherwise destroying a public tree. It also prohibits stripping bark or using objects that penetrate the bark. Routine yard maintenance should therefore be planned around the public tree, without treating its trunk or branches as something a neighbouring homeowner may alter.
The by-law also prohibits planting trees or shrubs on City property. An approved City planting program has its own conditions; it is not permission to plant anywhere along a boulevard. Only Parks and Recreation Services has the authority to remove and replace trees on City property. A private tree-care arrangement does not transfer that authority.
Asking the City to Remove a Boulevard Tree
The removal process begins with a written request setting out the reason. Parks and Recreation Services considers the need for removal, reasonable alternatives, possible relocation and the tree's historic, environmental or other intrinsic value. The City's boulevard guidance says healthy trees generally remain unless they pose a public hazard, interfere with overhead utility infrastructure or are diseased.
Approval also has a cost consequence. The party requesting removal pays removal or relocation costs plus the inventory and replacement cost determined by the City Arborist under the applicable service standards. Written appeals must be submitted to the City Clerk within fourteen days of receiving the decision. A removal request should therefore explain the problem clearly rather than assume that approval or a particular price is automatic.
Building or Landscaping Near City Trees
The City's boulevard-tree protection guidance explains why changes at ground level matter: most roots lie in the first 6–18 inches of soil and need oxygen. Adding soil for a raised flower bed can suffocate roots and weaken or kill the tree. Soil compaction also reduces the movement of oxygen and water.
For construction near City trees, the guidance calls for City arborist involvement before proceeding and fencing before construction starts. It describes a Tree Protection Zone around trees within 3–5 metres of construction, framed with posts and snow fencing. Construction and demolition materials belong outside that zone. Plan the protection alongside the work area, rather than leaving it until excavation or deliveries begin.
For ordinary care, the City describes a two-inch mulch layer around the root system, kept away from the trunk to avoid encouraging bark rot. Raising the soil grade is a different action with different consequences; it should not be treated as another way to mulch.
Boulevard Trees and Power Lines
Manitoba Hydro assigns responsibility for trees on public property to the municipality. Its safety guidance says only a qualified utility arborist should trim or remove trees within 3 m of a power line. The City's by-law allows Hydro to prune as needed for safety and service operation; that exception does not give neighbouring homeowners permission to prune public trees.
Hydro's vegetation-management explanation says removal can sometimes be safer than repeated trimming near electrical infrastructure. Elms, maples and willows can quickly grow back toward lines. Decisions about utility clearance belong with the responsible authorities, even where a resident would prefer a particular tree shape.
Planting Programs in 2026
The City's 2026 tree reimbursement programs reached full capacity and stopped accepting applications. The private-property program offered up to $300 per property for suitable trees, with at least two years of homeowner care. Eligible planting was exclusively on private land, using trees suited to Manitoba or Zone 2b.
Green Streets covered approved City-owned planting spaces and City-approved species suited to the site. Residents assisted with early watering and mulching, while the City took responsibility for long-term pruning and health monitoring. These separate arrangements show why planting location and permission need to be settled together.