{
 "answer": "In the City of Hamilton, Ontario, trees & tree removal rules are set by By-law No. 15-125, To Regulate Trees on or Affecting Public Property (Hamilton Public Tree Protection By-law), verified 2026-09-25. A permit is required. Boulevard trees: No person shall injure or destroy a public tree; work requires a permit from the Director.",
 "municipality_id": "gx-001543",
 "municipality": "Hamilton",
 "status_type": "City",
 "jurisdiction": "Ontario",
 "country": "CA",
 "topic": "trees",
 "label": "Trees & tree removal",
 "status": "found",
 "last_verified": "2026-09-25",
 "official_website": "https://www.hamilton.ca/",
 "documents": [
  {
   "primary": true,
   "is_official": true,
   "title": "By-law No. 15-125, To Regulate Trees on or Affecting Public Property (Hamilton Public Tree Protection By-law)",
   "category": "trees",
   "document_type": "bylaw",
   "status": "adopted",
   "adopted_date": "2015-05-13",
   "document_url": "https://www.hamilton.ca/sites/default/files/2022-06/15-125.pdf",
   "summary": "Prohibits any person from injuring or destroying a public tree — defined as a tree with 50 per cent or more of its trunk diameter, measured at ground level, on land owned, leased, controlled by or vested in the City, such as streets and parks. Injury expressly includes pruning, working within the drip line or tree protection zone, altering soil",
   "discovered_by": "on-newcats",
   "discovered_at": "2026-08-29",
   "capture_sha256": "51d485cc9152b4bc75a6ff0510ae42562397cba5461680c8115af15f8e10bb24",
   "captured_at": "2026-08-29T14:33:34+00:00",
   "capture_http_status": 200,
   "document_number": "15-125",
   "snapshot_url": "https://pub-e61c5ee2a8704225bfa8de0c280e8a2c.r2.dev/bylaws/51d485cc9152b4bc75a6ff0510ae42562397cba5461680c8115af15f8e10bb24.pdf",
   "link_dead": false,
   "facts": {
    "permit_required": true,
    "applies_to_private_property": false,
    "replacement_required": "payment to the City for the replacement of any public tree which has been injured or destroyed as determined by the Director in accordance with any applicable policy",
    "boulevard_trees": "No person shall injure or destroy a public tree; work requires a permit from the Director.",
    "fine_range": "First conviction: not more than $10,000 or $1,000 per tree (whichever greater); subsequent conviction: not more than $25,000 or $2,500 per tree (whichever greater); corporations: $50,000/$5,000 per tree and $100,000/$10,000 per tree respectively; special fine may exceed $100,000"
   },
   "fact_citations": {
    "permit_required": "s. 3(3)(a)",
    "applies_to_private_property": "s. 1 \"public tree\" / s. 3(1)",
    "replacement_required": "s. 18(b)(vii)",
    "boulevard_trees": "s. 3(1), s. 3(3)(a)",
    "fine_range": "s. 26(a), s. 26(b), s. 27, s. 28"
   },
   "transcript_url": "/ca/on/hamilton-city/trees/bylaw-15-125/",
   "transcript_quality": "exact"
  }
 ],
 "source": "https://govanswers.org/ca/on/hamilton-city/trees/"
}