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Tree Permits2026Tiny, Tay, Midland, Wasaga, Collingwood
Tree Cutting Permits in Simcoe County, Town by Town
On most Simcoe County lots you only need a tree permit if you are cutting woodland on a property of 1 hectare (2.47 acres) or more, and the County by-law does not stop cutting for a house once your permits are in place. Tiny Township has no tree by-law of its own, but Wasaga Beach, Collingwood, Penetanguishene and Barrie have rules that can reach smaller lots and waterfront. Below is the town table, plus shoreline rules, conservation authorities, nesting season and fines.
Updated October 2026 · Georgian Bay Siteworks, the site work division of ICFHome.ca
Insured to $2,000,000Site work division of ICFHome.caBuilding since 1979250+ projects in Simcoe County
Start With the County By-law
The County of Simcoe Forest Conservation By-law is the old “tree cutting by-law” under a new name. It covers properties of at least one hectare (2.47 acres) and is aimed at commercial harvesting and clearing of forest.
Three things it does not do, straight from the County page:
- It does not regulate properties under one hectare.
- It does not restrict cutting to erect a building where approvals or permits are already in place.
- It does not stop you cutting wood on your own property for your own use, as long as the forest stays woodland.
If you are on a bigger acreage and plan to clear more than a house site, call the County Conservation Forester at 705-721-6242 or forestry@simcoe.ca before anyone starts a saw.
Builder truth: “I have a building permit” covers the house, the driveway and the septic. It does not cover clearing the back two acres for a view. Inspectors can tell the difference.
The Town Table
Barrie is a separate city and has its own by-law. Collingwood, Wasaga Beach and Penetanguishene sit inside the County but also have local rules. Where we could not confirm a town’s rules on its own website, the table says so. Check with the town before you cut, every time.
| Town | Local tree by-law? | What triggers a permit | Fines we could confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny | No township by-law | County by-law on woodland of 1 ha or more. See our Tiny tree removal page. | Not applicable locally |
| Tay | Not verified | County by-law applies on 1 ha or more. Check with the township. | Check with the township |
| Midland | Not verified | We could not find a private tree by-law on the Town site. Check with the town. | Check with the town |
| Penetanguishene | Yes, By-law 2024-02 | Lots of 0.5 ha or more, or waterfront of any size: one tree over 30 cm diameter, five or more trees of 15-30 cm, or woodland | Check the by-law |
| Wasaga Beach | Yes, By-law 2019-82 | Woodland, Natural Heritage System lands, any parcel of 1 ha or more, commercial zones. Exemption for a building with a building permit. | First offence up to $10,000 or $1,000 per tree, whichever is greater; repeat up to $25,000 or $2,500 per tree |
| Collingwood | Yes, By-law 2012-084 | Lots of 0.5 ha or more: any tree over 30 cm diameter, five or more of 15-30 cm in a year, or woodland | First conviction up to $50,000 or $1,000 per tree over 15 cm, whichever is greater |
| Oro-Medonte | County by-law outside settlement areas | Council directed staff to prepare a settlement-area by-law (news report). Status not verified, check with the township. | Check with the township |
| Innisfil | Town approval in some areas | No cutting without Town approval on lands under the Shoreline Permit Process or Site Plan Control (Innisfil FAQ). County by-law over 1 ha. | Not stated on the FAQ |
| Barrie | Yes, Private Tree By-law 2014-115 | Woodlots of 1/2 acre or larger. A typical house lot needs no permit unless part of a development application (City page). | Not stated on the City page; offset fee of $500 per tree |
Diameter in these by-laws is measured at chest height, about 1.4 m off the ground. A 30 cm tree is roughly a foot across, which in a pine lot is not a big tree at all.
Shorelines and Conservation Authorities
Waterfront is where tree rules stack up. Penetanguishene’s by-law covers waterfront lots of any size, and Innisfil requires Town approval on lands in its shoreline permit process.
The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority covers Wasaga Beach, Collingwood, Springwater and parts of the County, and its FAQ says work in a regulated area without a permit can bring fines up to $50,000 and an order to restore the site. Clearing usually comes with grading and stump pulling, and that is the part NVCA cares about. Our NVCA permit guide covers the process.
Tiny Township has no conservation authority. That does not make the beach a free-for-all: anything below the high-water mark is shore land, and the Province regulates fill and erosion structures there. More on that in our armour stone guide.
Bird Nesting Season Applies Everywhere
No town permit covers this one. The federal Migratory Birds Regulations protect nests and eggs, and Environment and Climate Change Canada publishes general nesting periods by zone. Simcoe County falls in zone C2, which runs from early April to late August. The busiest stretch in forest is roughly late May to late July.
Two catches. The federal page says it does not authorize harming birds, and that work outside the nesting period can still break the rules if you hit an active nest. And near a zone boundary, it says to consider the next zone too. The north end of Tay is close to the C3 line.
Our rule: big clearing happens from fall through winter. If a job has to go ahead in spring or summer, the lot gets checked for active nests first and we work around what is found.
What We Check Before We Cut
- Lot size and whether any of it counts as woodland under the County or town by-law.
- Your building permit status, and whether the trees coming out are inside the house, driveway and septic area it covers.
- Waterfront, conservation authority mapping and any shoreline permit area.
- Survey stakes and boundaries, so we do not cut the neighbour’s trees.
- Nesting season, and whether the work can wait until fall.
- Restrictive covenants on title. Innisfil’s FAQ suggests a real estate lawyer for those, and we agree.
Fines are counted per tree in Wasaga Beach and Collingwood. Ten pines cut without a permit adds up fast, and courts can order replanting on top.
Not Sure Your Lot Needs a Permit?
Send us the address. We will check the town rules, the County by-law and the shoreline mapping before we price the clearing.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to cut trees in Simcoe County?
Only if your property is 1 hectare (2.47 acres) or more and you are cutting woodland, under the County Forest Conservation By-law, unless your town has its own by-law. The County by-law does not restrict cutting to put up a building once approvals or permits are in place.
Does Tiny Township have a tree cutting by-law?
No. Tiny has no township tree by-law, so the County by-law is the one that applies, and only on woodland properties of 1 hectare or more.
What are the fines for cutting trees without a permit in Wasaga Beach?
Under By-law 2019-82, a first offence can bring a fine of up to $10,000 or $1,000 per tree, whichever is greater. Repeat offences go up to $25,000 or $2,500 per tree, and the court can order replanting.
Do waterfront lots have stricter tree rules?
Often, yes. Penetanguishene’s by-law covers waterfront lots of any size, Innisfil requires approval on shoreline permit lands, and NVCA-regulated areas need a permit for site alteration.
When is bird nesting season in Simcoe County?
Environment and Climate Change Canada puts Simcoe County in nesting zone C2, from early April to late August. You must still avoid active nests outside that window.
Does my building permit let me clear the whole lot?
No. The building exemptions cover trees that have to come out for the building, its utilities and the driveway. Clearing beyond that can still need a permit on a lot that falls under a by-law.
