Town’s tree pruning programs begin in January

Starting in January, the Town of Oakville and its tree service contractor will begin their two annual tree pruning programs.

Each year, the town and its tree service contractor perform hydro line clearing on behalf of Oakville Hydro to reduce safety hazards and power outages, while maintaining the health, safety and well-being of the town’s tree canopy. The 2022 hydro line clearing program will take place in east Oakville, between Chartwell Road and Winston Churchill Boulevard and Trafalgar Road to Ninth Line.

Trees are pruned in each of four zones on a four-year cycle following the Electrical Safety Authority guidelines to maintain a three-metre (10 foot) clearance between branches and primary power lines and one meter (three feet) for secondary lines. 

In some situations, the town must prune trees on private property if they are growing too close to hydro lines. 

As a last resort, some trees growing too close to the hydro line may need to be removed if the arborist cannot achieve the clearance standard with acceptable pruning practices.

Through the rotational tree maintenance program the town proactively prunes all town-owned street trees on a ten-year rotational cycle to improve tree health and structure, and provide clearance for sidewalks, roads, buildings, and traffic signs and lights.

You can find more information about the town’s tree pruning programs on our Tree Maintenance page.