Coquitlam
Tree work in Coquitlam, from someone who worked for the city
I'm based here. Hillside lots with big evergreens, older streets with mature trees close to the house. I've worked both.
ISA Certified Arborist PN-7893AT · TRAQ qualified · Intermunicipal business licence covering Coquitlam and the Tri-Cities
The trees here
Two different kinds of Coquitlam property
The newer hillside streets were built on steep forested ground. Big evergreens got left standing between the houses, in soil that was cut and graded for construction. The older neighbourhoods are the opposite. Street and yard trees that have been there for decades, growing close to houses that were never planned around big trees. I work both. The questions I ask are different depending on which one I'm standing in front of.
Permits
The permit rule that catches people out
Most private properties in Coquitlam can remove up to two protected trees per year without a permit. A protected tree is 20 cm or more across, measured 1.4 m up the trunk.
That allowance doesn't apply everywhere. You need a permit for all removals, no annual allowance, if your property has:
- A riparian or streamside area
- A steep slope area
- A protective covenant
- An address on Burian Drive or Latimer Avenue
Those same situations also need a tree risk assessment report from an ISA Certified Arborist as part of the application. That's the part people don't expect. It isn't just a form, it's a written report on the specific tree.
I spent over a decade as an arborist for the City of Coquitlam, reading applications like this from the other side. I write the assessment and the report. The city decides the outcome, every time.
Worth asking anyone who quotes you about their business licence. Coquitlam requires whoever does the work to hold one here or in another Tri-Cities municipality. Mine is intermunicipal.
City of Coquitlam tree cutting permitsReviewed: August 13, 2026
Services
What I can help with here
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Tree risk assessment
For the lean, the crack, the tree on the edge of a graded slope. Especially worth doing before you apply for anything.
Tree risk assessments -
Arborist reports
Written up for your permit application, your strata, or just to have something in writing about a specific tree.
Arborist reports and permits -
Removal
Planned around the site, the slope, and what's underneath. Taken down in pieces with ropes where there's no room to drop it whole.
Tree removal
Other service areas
FAQ
Questions
Do I need a permit to cut down a tree in Coquitlam?
Often not for the first two. Most private properties in Coquitlam can remove up to two protected trees per year without a permit. A protected tree is 20 cm or more across, measured 1.4 m up the trunk. Riparian and streamside areas, steep slope areas, protective covenants, and addresses on Burian Drive or Latimer Avenue need a permit for every removal.
My property backs onto a ravine or creek. Does that change anything?
Likely yes. A riparian or streamside area takes you out of the annual allowance and into the full permit process, which needs a tree risk assessment report. Same goes for a steep slope area, so a newer hillside lot is worth checking too. Tell me the address and I'll tell you what to expect.
What's a protective covenant, and how do I know if I have one?
It's a condition registered against your property, usually from when it was developed, that restricts what you can do with trees or land. Your property title or the city can confirm whether one applies to you.
Can you get my permit approved faster?
No. I can make sure the application has what the city needs the first time, which avoids it being sent back. The decision and the timeline are the city's.
Next step
Get a straight answer on your property
Tell me the address and what's going on with the tree. I'll tell you whether you're looking at a straightforward removal or a permit application with a report attached.
Get a free estimate