Forested hillsides above the inlet, seen from the ridge trail above Buntzen Lake in Anmore

Anmore and Belcarra

Tree work in Anmore and Belcarra, where the permit rules are strictest

Anmore and Belcarra are rural in a way the rest of the Tri-Cities isn't. Long driveways, wells, septic fields, and very big fir and cedar that a truck often can't reach. Both villages take tree permits seriously, and Anmore has no exceptions at all.

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ISA Certified Arborist PN-7893AT · TRAQ qualified · Intermunicipal business licence covering Anmore, Belcarra and the Tri-Cities

The trees here

Acreage brings its own set of problems

Fir and cedar out here get big enough that cutting one down in a single piece isn't an option. A well, a septic field or a long driveway is often sitting right where the tree would fall. Wind matters more on open acreage, and so does access. On some properties that means carrying gear in rather than parking the chipper next to the stump. None of that changes whether a tree needs to come down. It changes how the job gets planned.

Permits

Anmore: every removal needs a permit, no exceptions

Anmore is the strictest place I work in. Every tree removal needs a permit. There is no yearly allowance to fall back on. The Village has to be told before the tree comes out.

Dead and dangerous trees are not automatically exempt. They can only come out if a certified arborist designates them in writing and the Village approves. I can do the assessment and write it up. I can't approve the removal, and neither can any arborist.

Fines are $1,000 per tree. Worth checking before any work starts, even on a tree that looks obviously dead.

Village of Anmore building guide

Reviewed: August 13, 2026

Belcarra: an older bylaw, worth a call to the Village first

Belcarra has a Tree Cutting Bylaw and requires a permit for tree removal. It's an older bylaw, and the Village says the copy online may not include recent changes.

My honest advice: call the Village office before you plan anything, even before you call me. Ask what applies to your property right now. Then I can help you work out what a permit application needs.

Village of Belcarra bylaws

Reviewed: August 13, 2026

Services

What I can help with here

Tree risk assessment

For a lean, a crack, or a large fir or cedar you're worried about, especially before you apply for a removal permit.
Tree risk assessments
Climbing and rigging

For trees too big, or too close to a well, septic field or driveway, to cut down in one piece.
Technical climbing and rigging
Removal

Planned around access, wind exposure and what's actually reachable on an acreage lot.
Tree removal

FAQ

Questions

My tree is obviously dead. Do I still need a permit in Anmore?

Yes. Anmore doesn't exempt dead or dangerous trees automatically, and there's no annual allowance to fall back on the way there is in Coquitlam. A certified arborist has to designate the tree in writing, and the Village has to approve the removal before it comes down.

What happens if I remove a tree in Anmore without a permit?

Fines run $1,000 per tree. Worth checking first, especially if you're planning to take out more than one.

Belcarra's bylaw looks out of date online. What should I do?

Call the Village office and ask what currently applies to your property before you plan the work. I can help once you know what the current rules say.

My driveway is long and my truck can't get close to the tree. Can you still do the job?

Usually, yes. Climbing and rigging work doesn't depend on a machine parking next to the tree. Access affects how the wood comes out, which is worth talking through before the day of the work.

Other service areas

Next step

Tell me about your property

Address, roughly what's growing there, and anything I should know about access, wells or septic before I come out.

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