Trees

Thunder Bay Arbor Day 2026

Join us in celebrating Thunder Bay Arbor Day and help grow our city’s tree canopy! This is a great opportunity to plant trees, connect with your community, and learn from the City’s urban forestry experts. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or a first-time planter, everyone is welcome.

• Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
• Location: Champlain Park (10am-12pm)

Come make a lasting impact — one tree at a time!

For accommodation, please contact Aaron Brecka at aaron.brecka@thunderbay.ca before May 11.

The City of Thunder Bay's Forestry Operations Section manages well over 30,000 trees within the city limits. These trees are important City assets and provide tangible benefits to citizens and other infrastructure.

The City of Thunder Bay was recognized as a Tree City of the World in 2024 and again in 2025. This is an achievement the City will continue to strive for, reaffirming our dedication to growing and maintaining a healthy urban tree canopy.

We look forward to the opportunity to be recognized once more for our efforts in fostering a greener, more sustainable community.

For a comprehensive look at the state of urban forestry in Thunder Bay, refer to the city's most recent (2011) Urban Forest Management Plan (UFMP). Our goal is to create a diverse urban forest in the City of Thunder Bay along streets and in our parks. An urban forest of various species and ages of trees can better defend against natural and human-made threats. Unfortunately, many trees struggle in our northern urban environment, which can shorten their life span and reduce their growth.

There are many external organizations involved in urban forest management. To learn more, visit The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), The Ontario Professional Forester's Association (OPFA), and The Ontario College of Trades.

Benefits of urban trees

Trees in urban areas are important for urban citizens. Without these trees the quality of the air would be reduced, rainfall events would be more drastic, and energy costs for homes would increase. Below is a summary from the UFMP of the dollar-valued benefits that trees in Thunder Bay provide each year.

Here is a video produced with Shaw Cable that explains the benefits of urban trees.

Invasive species

Invasive insect species such as the emerald ash borer and invasive plant species such as European phragmites (European Reed), wild parsnip, Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam can be an issue in the city. Find out which plant species that you shouldn't plant in Thunder Bay with the Grow Me Instead Guide for Northwestern Ontario.

The City of Thunder Bay's Forestry Operations Section is in the process of developing an Invasive Plant Management Strategy to address the invasive plant species currently within our community, as well as prepare for those that will eventually arrive.

In 2026, a significant number of Ash trees will be removed from the following areas and streets, changing the landscape:

• Chercover area
• Huron Cresent
• James Street
• Parkdale area
• Sheridan Cresent
• Windemere Avenue
• Wentworth Cresent

Plant a tree

City boulevards are planted by qualified, city-directed contractors. Specific species of plants, of a specific size , are selected for each location. Please do not plant trees on your boulevard. The City avoids planting conifers on boulevard as they are dense and can cause line-of-sight issues. If you'd like a tree on your boulevard, you can request a tree.

Here are our standards for planting a tree:

Only licensed contractors hired by the City are to plant trees on municipal property, as the trees must be planted according to our standards and specifications. Generally, we plant one boulevard tree in front of each lot, as well as two along corner lots in a subdivision.

If you are a contractor looking for more information, see the Parks and Open Spaces Tree Standards and Specifications.

Tree planting standards and specifications

Use our Parks and Open Spaces Tree Standards and Specifications and fill out our As-Planted Tree form, which will provide you with the necessary details and criteria for boulevard tree planting. This will avoid any delays and facilitate approval processes. It’s your responsibility to use a competent contractor and to adhere to the specifications in every detail.

Tree care and pruning

Have a concern with your trees? Learn how to handle common tree problems. If the tree or limb is an immediate hazard or is damaging property, call the city's Infrastructure and Operations Dispatch at (807) 625-2195.

Learn how to take care of your own trees with our Tree Care and Pruning Guide.

Tree Protection Standards and construction zones

You and any contractors are responsible for following our Tree Protection Standards. Willful or negligent damage to a City-owned tree contravenes the Tree By-law and constitutes an offence under the Municipal Act.

Citizens and any contractors employed by the public or The City of Thunder Bay are responsible for implementing our Tree Protection Standards and Specifications. This ensures protection of existing trees inside and adjacent to construction zones. No additional compensation will be paid for the protection of trees in the work zone; this practise is expected and is discussed in pre-construction meetings. Unannounced and random inspections will take place for city contracts where trees have been identified as being within the work-zone.

The below image is an example of a typical tree protection installation. This may vary depending on the type of work, size of tree, number of trees, or contract specifics. If you have questions, please contact City Dispatch at at 807-625-2195.

Tree City of The World

View the City of Thunder Bay's Tree City of The World certification for 2025.

The City was also recognized as a Tree City of the World in 2024, and will continue to work towards maintaining this distinction.

The program is run by The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The Arbor Day Foundation, and Tree Canada.

The program recognizes cities that meet a certain standard for the management of urban forests. Each city must meet or exceed the following five standards.

1. Establish Responsibility
2. Set the Rules
3. Allocate the Resources
4. Know What You Have
5. Celebrate Achievements

By having the staff listed above, we have established responsibility for the care of trees in Thunder Bay. Through the implementation of our Public Tree By-Law and our Parks & Open Spaces Standards and Specifications we have set the rules for tree care in the City. The annual City Budget mentions tree maintenance and our Emerald Ash Borer management program so we are allocating resources to managing urban trees. Our street tree inventory (2015) and park tree inventory (2018) let us know what assets we have, as well as our canopy studies to determine tree cover. Finally, through events like Arbor Day and the Canadian Institute of Forestry's National Forest Week, we celebrate trees in our urban environment.