Nobody can give you an honest price for removing a tree without seeing it, and that includes us. Two trees of the same height can be a two-hour job and a two-day job depending on what is underneath them, how they can be reached, and what shape the wood is in. What we can tell you is exactly what goes into the price, and the one part of the cost that is fixed: if the tree needs a City of Ottawa permit, the City's fee is $200 per tree. Tree King's quotes are free.
What actually sets the price
When we come out to look at a tree, this is what we are weighing up:
- Size. Height and trunk diameter decide how much wood there is and how long it takes to bring down in manageable pieces.
- What it could hit. A tree in an open backyard can often be felled in one piece. A tree over a house, garage, fence, pool or power line has to be taken down piece by piece, with every section lowered on ropes. That is the single biggest difference between a quick job and a long one.
- Access. Can equipment get to it, or does everything have to be carried through a side gate? Backyards with no access are slower.
- Condition. Dead or rotten wood is unpredictable. It can be too weak to climb or rig from safely, which changes how the job has to be done.
- The stump. Removal leaves a stump unless you ask for it to be ground out. Stump grinding is a separate step, priced on its own.
- Cleanup. Hauling away the wood and brush, or leaving the wood for firewood, changes the work.
- Urgency. A planned removal can be scheduled efficiently. An emergency removal after a storm, with a tree on a roof, is a different job.
The fixed part: permits
In Ottawa's urban area, removing a private tree 30 cm or more across (measured 1.3 m up the trunk) on a lot of one hectare or less needs a City permit. Since 1 February 2026 the City's fee is $200 per tree, or $1,240 per tree when the removal is part of an infill development, capped after five trees. That fee goes to the City and is paid when you submit the application online.
The application needs a Tree Information Report, which is an arborist report. Our guide to when you need an arborist report explains what goes in it, and the Ottawa tree removal permit guide covers the exemptions, including dead or hazardous trees that are an immediate threat.
Why we do not quote over the phone
A phone price has to cover everything that might be wrong with a tree nobody has seen, so it is either padded or wrong. Neither is fair to you. Looking at the tree takes a few minutes, costs you nothing, and gives you a price for your actual job, with the permit question answered at the same time.
When you call, it helps to tell us roughly how tall the tree is, what is under or near it, and whether there is access to the backyard. A couple of photos help too.
Getting a quote
Tree King gives free quotes for tree removal in Ottawa, stump grinding and arborist reports. Call 613-627-2017 or book a consultation.