Toronto residents should be aware that as of Friday January 3, the City has embarked on a massive effort to clear the many fallen trees and limbs remaining after the December 21 and 22 ice storm. The cleanup is expected to take approximately 8 weeks, weather permitting, and will involve more than 600 workers.
City Forestry crews will deal with overhead branches that are a safety hazard and Solid Waste Management crews will handle the collection and chipping of wood debris on city streets.
The City will haul away all tree branches from front yards and roadsides and will include those that have fallen on private property if they are less than 15 cm (six inches) in diameter and have been taken to the curb. Residents should neatly stack limbs/branches at the front edge of their properties without blocking either sidewalks or roads and with the butt ends of branches towards the road.
City crews will not collect large limbs (more than 15 cm or six inches in diameter) from private trees that have fallen on private property. Property owners should contact a private contractor for this. A City permit is not required to remove damaged or downed trees that are hazardous, however many trees can be saved with proper care and pruning.
For residents that live in the Asian long-horned beetle (ALHB) quarantine area in Etobicoke, City crews and private contractors will dispose of this debris in an appropriate manner. Residents are advised not to take this wood out of the Federal quarantine area.
Check toronto.ca/trees or click here for more information about the quarantine and waste removal.
For more details on the cleanup, including a continuously updated cleanup map and the answers to frequently asked questions, visit www.toronto.ca or click here.