Tree protection bylaws compared: Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley
Clearing and excavation often start with trees. Each city sets its own size threshold and barrier rules — here they are side by side.
DBH means diameter at breast height, normally measured 1.4 m above the ground. Many bylaws also protect city-owned trees and trees in environmentally sensitive or riparian areas at any size.
| Municipality | Protected trees | Construction rules | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Township of Langley | 20 cm DBH or more (not ALR land, not land under a development application) | Barrier at least 1.2 m high around the root zone (6 × DBH radius) | Bylaw 5478 |
| City of Langley | 20 cm DBH on development lots; significant trees 75 cm+ | Barriers before excavation within 10 m of a trunk; no excavation in the protection zone | Bylaw 3321 |
| Surrey | 30 cm DBH or more (some species smaller) | Barrier at least 1.2 m high for work within 10 m; no permits until approved | By-law 16100 |
| Vancouver | 20 cm diameter or more at 1.4 m | All retained trees protected during construction | By-law 9958 |
| Burnaby | 20 cm+ on development sites; otherwise conifers 30 cm+, deciduous 45 cm+ | — | City of Burnaby |
| Richmond | Larger than 20 cm DBH | See City bulletin Tree-03 | Bylaw 8057 |
| Coquitlam | 20 cm or more at 1.4 m | Permit always needed on riparian, steep-slope or covenanted lots | Bylaw 4091 |
| Delta | 20 cm trunk diameter at 1.4 m | Barriers around retained trees; hand excavation next to barriers | Bylaw 7969 |
| Abbotsford | Over 20 cm at 1.4 m, outside the ALR (bylaw in effect March 1, 2026) | Prevent compaction or excavation in critical root zones of retained trees | City of Abbotsford |
| Maple Ridge | 20 cm DBH or more; any size in riparian or conservation areas | Barrier if a root zone is within 10 m of excavation | Bylaw 8045-2026 |
| Pitt Meadows | 20 cm DBH or more (ALR exempt) | Tree management plan if permit trees are on or within 5 m of the site | Bylaw 3035 |
| Mission | 20 cm or more measured at 1.5 m, on Urban and Urban Reserve land in south-west Mission | — | Bylaw 3872-2006 |
| Chilliwack | Applies to development outside the ALR | Protective barriers before development | Bylaw 3585 |
| Kamloops | Any tree on residential lots or parcels over 2 ha (except under 5 m tall and 10 cm) | — | City of Kamloops |
Checked October 2026 against the sources linked on this page. Rules change, so confirm with the authority before work starts. General information only, not engineering or legal advice.
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