The site work division of ICFHome.ca · Building since 1979 · Insured to $2,000,000 · 705-533-1633
Tree Removal2026Tiny, Tay, Midland, Wasaga, Collingwood
Tree Removal Cost in Ontario (2026)
A single tree removal in Ontario runs roughly $300-$800 for a small tree, $800-$1,500 for a medium tree and $1,500-$3,000 or more for a large one (rough range, 2026). Dead trees, trees leaning over the house and trees near hydro lines cost more. Below is what moves the price, how stumps are priced separately, what to do about dead ash, and when you should call an arborist instead of us.
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
Rough Prices by Tree Size (2026)
These ranges line up with what HomeStars reports for Toronto-area removals. Up here on a rural lot with room to drop the tree, the number is often at the low end of each row. In a tight backyard with a deck, a fence and a garage in the way, it climbs fast.
| Tree | Rough range (2026) | What usually pushes it higher |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under about 30 ft) | $300-$800 | Tight access, cleanup by hand |
| Medium (30-60 ft) | $800-$1,500 | Taken down in pieces instead of felled |
| Large (60-80 ft) | $1,500-$3,000 | Over a roof, hard wood, big limbs to lower |
| Extra large (80 ft and up) | $3,000-$5,000+ | Climber plus rigging, or a crane |
| Stump grinding (per stump) | $150-$1,200+ | Diameter, roots, rocks in the root ball |
Crane removals are quoted by the arborist and the crane company together, and they sit above the extra-large row. If someone says “crane” on your first site visit, expect a separate price and a scheduled date, not a same-week job.
Builder truth: the tree is not what you pay for. You pay for the space it has to come down into. A 70 ft pine with an open field beside it can cost less than a 40 ft maple hanging over your bedroom.
What Actually Moves the Price
- The drop zone. If the tree can be felled in one piece, it is quick. If it has to be taken down limb by limb and lowered on ropes, you are paying for hours of climbing.
- Machine access. If an excavator can reach the tree, we can push, pull and lift instead of carrying. A tree behind the house with a septic bed in front of it is a different job.
- Condition. Dead, rotten or split trees cost more because nobody can trust the wood. HomeStars lists dead, diseased and partly fallen trees as more expensive, and that matches what we see.
- Lean and targets. A tree leaning toward the house, the hydro drop or the neighbour’s boathouse needs more rigging and more care.
- What happens to the wood. Left in rounds for firewood is cheapest. Chipped and hauled costs more. Good logs can go on our portable sawmill instead of a truck.
- The stump. Most prices leave a stump. Grinding or digging it out is a separate line.
- Season. HomeStars notes late winter and early spring are usually cheaper, with late spring and summer busier. Frozen ground also protects your lawn from machine ruts.
Removal and Stump Are Two Different Jobs
Ask every company the same question: does the price include the stump? A removal quote usually leaves a stump at or near ground level. Grinding it below grade, or digging the whole root ball out, is extra.
Which one you need depends on what goes there next. Grinding is fine under lawn. Under a new house, garage, driveway or septic bed, the stump and main roots have to come out completely, because rotting wood under fill settles. Our stump grinding cost guide breaks that down: roughly $150-$350 for a small stump, $300-$600 medium, $500-$1,200+ large, and $600-$2,500 per stump for full excavated removal.
Dead Ash Trees: Do Not Wait for Them to Fall
Emerald ash borer has been through this area. CTV Barrie reported thousands of ash being taken out of Mara and McRae provincial parks for exactly this reason. If you have a stand of grey, bark-peeling ash on your lot, you are not alone.
The problem is how dead ash fails. Purdue Extension says trees killed by the borer become extremely brittle, can drop limbs in still weather, and get more dangerous the longer you wait. That is why a dead ash often costs more to remove than a live tree the same size: a climber cannot trust it, so it comes down by machine or by careful rigging.
Builder truth: a dead ash 30 m from anything is cheap to drop. The same ash next to the cottage, three years later, is not. Waiting does not save money on these.
Trees Near Hydro Lines
This is where homeowners get hurt. Hydro One’s vegetation page says property owners maintain their own trees, Hydro One does not trim on private property beyond its own safety requirements, and hiring a qualified arborist is strongly recommended. It also says to never climb or trim trees near power lines, and only line-clearance qualified people should work near electrical equipment.
Hydro One lets you request a temporary disconnect once per year before work. For a tree touching or about to hit a line, call their hazard line at 1-888-664-9376. Ontario’s construction rules keep equipment at least 3 metres from lines of 750 to 150,000 volts, and more for bigger lines, per the IHSA overhead powerline bulletin. We will not put a machine or a falling tree inside that distance.
Where We Fit, and When an Arborist Is the Right Call
Call us for
Trees coming out as part of lot clearing, a house site, a driveway, a septic bed or a building envelope. We bring excavators, take stumps out the same day, and can mill the good logs. This is most of the tree work we do.
Call an arborist for
One big tree hanging over your roof, a tree in the hydro lines, or a delicate removal in a finished yard where a machine would do more damage than the tree. A certified arborist with climbing gear, or a crane, is the honest answer there.
Either can work
Hazard trees with room to fall, storm damage on an open lot, a handful of trees next to a planned addition. We will tell you on the site visit which way makes more sense.
Do You Need a Permit?
For most single lots in Tiny Township, no. Tiny has no township tree by-law, and the County of Simcoe by-law only applies to woodlands of 1 hectare (2.47 acres) or more, and does not restrict cutting to put up a building once permits are in place. Wasaga Beach, Collingwood, Penetanguishene and Barrie have their own rules that can catch smaller lots or waterfront.
Our tree cutting permits by town guide has the table, and the Tiny Township tree removal page covers Tiny in detail. Spring and summer also bring bird nesting season, which applies everywhere.
Clearing a Lot or a House Site?
Send us the lot address and a few photos. We will walk it, tell you which trees we should take, which an arborist should take, and give you a written price.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to remove a tree in Ontario in 2026?
Roughly $300-$800 for a small tree, $800-$1,500 for a medium tree, $1,500-$3,000 for a large tree and $3,000-$5,000 or more for an extra-large or crane job. Access, condition and what is underneath it move the number more than the height.
Does tree removal include the stump?
Usually not. Most removal prices leave a stump near ground level, and grinding or full excavation is priced separately, roughly $150-$1,200 or more per stump for grinding.
Why does a dead ash tree cost more to remove?
Ash killed by emerald ash borer goes brittle and can drop limbs without warning, so a climber cannot safely tie into it. It has to come down by machine or with careful rigging, and it gets worse the longer it stands.
Will Hydro One remove a tree near my power line?
Hydro One says owners maintain their own trees and it does not trim on private property beyond its safety requirements. It recommends a qualified arborist, offers a temporary disconnect once a year, and takes hazard calls at 1-888-664-9376.
Is it cheaper to remove trees as part of lot clearing?
Usually, yes. When the machines are already on site, trees are priced as part of the lot rather than one at a time, and stumps come out in the same visit. Our lot clearing ranges run from $2,500 for brush only up to $45,000 or more for dense mature forest.
Should I hire you or an arborist?
Hire us when trees are coming out for a house, driveway, septic bed or clearing. Hire a certified arborist for a single big tree over your roof, a tree in the hydro lines, or a delicate removal in a finished yard.
Do I need a permit to cut a tree in Tiny Township?
Tiny has no township tree by-law. The County of Simcoe by-law applies only to woodlands of 1 hectare or more and does not restrict cutting to put up a building with permits in place.
