Dieppe’s tree bylaw, started in June 2023, is helping balance new building projects with protecting the environment.
Alexandre Truchon-Savard, the director of environmental management, shared some updates and plans for the future.
The bylaw states that a permit is required to cut down any tree bigger than 10 centimetres in diameter (about 1.3 meters high).
Depending on the situation, new buildings or sick trees might need to be replaced or pay money instead.
Truchon-Savard said the bylaw led to lots of new tree planting and money for public tree projects.
“We’ve seen a great replanting effort from anyone involved in development,” he said.
Developers who can’t plant trees on their site have to pay $500 per tree, which the city uses for public tree planting.
Truchon-Savard said Dieppe still approved many new housing units despite their tree bylaw.
In 2024, the city protected over 40,000 square meters of wooded areas, according to the city’s release. Which in comparison, is close to four football fields.
In the same year, they planted 3,000 seedlings and 130 mature trees through partnerships with groups such as Tree Canada.
The release also said the city replanted 1,000 trees and collected $86,000 in compensation fees in total since the bylaw was first initiated.
The director of environmental management said they plant many small seedlings in low-traffic areas and bigger trees in places like streets and parks.
He explained more trees may survive and grow well by doing it this way.
Truchon-Savard talked about plans for 2025 based on feedback.
They’re going to propose to the council in the coming months other sustainable ways developers can provide on their site.
“It could be a green roof, a naturalized pond, bioswale or water retention that would be vegetated, so that not only trees are considered,” he said.
The priority would be to plant trees, but if that can’t be met, he added that they would accept those alternatives.
The director of environmental management said both city staff and developers are learning how to follow the new bylaw rules.
“It’s a learning curve for everyone, but I see a lot of progress on both sides,” he said.
Truchon-Savard believes the bylaw will have a positive impact on the future of Dieppe.
