Pruning and trimming

Pruning is the most common work done on a mature tree and the one where Gatineau's rules are most specific. You cannot prune a tree however you like, even on your own property, and most of the damaged trees you see around the region were cut by somebody who did not know that.

What the City forbids, in plain terms. Gatineau's by-law forbids removing more than half of a tree's living branches, and forbids topping it. It also states that pruning must not shorten the tree's life or cause its death, that the natural silhouette has to be preserved, and that the work must meet the standards of the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (Ville de Gatineau, plantation, entretien et abattage). A topped tree regrows as weakly attached water sprouts and becomes more dangerous every year, which is why topping is prohibited rather than merely discouraged.

Step one: the inspection. The pruner looks at the trunk, the root collar, the unions, the dead wood, the cankers and any fungal bodies, then at the distance to the building and the wires. You are told what is urgent and what can wait. A written quote given without seeing the tree is not a quote.

Step two: the pruning plan. Which branches come off, and why: dead wood, limbs rubbing the roof or the siding, branches growing inward, unions with included bark. The crown is thinned so wind can pass through, rather than reduced by half.

Step three: the cuts. Each cut is made just outside the branch collar, leaving no stub and without wounding the trunk. No paint or sealant on the wound, because the tree closes better on its own. Large limbs come down in three cuts so the bark does not tear.

Step four: the power lines. If a branch is approaching a distribution line or the service drop, nothing is touched. Hydro-Québec is called. Work near live conductors is governed by CNESST rules and requires minimum approach distances, training and constant communication between the ground crew and the climber, with a tested aerial rescue procedure in place (CNESST, arboriculture et élagage).

How long it takes. A medium tree in a back yard is two to four hours for a crew of two or three. A large maple or pine is half a day to a full day. Clearing and chipping the brush is part of that time and is often half of it.

What it costs in 2026. Indicative ranges rather than quotes. Pruning a small tree runs $160 to $410, a medium tree $410 to $820, and a large tree near a building or near wires often exceeds those figures. What moves the price: height, access to the yard, how close the tree is to the house, the pool and the wires, how much wood has to be carried out, and whether the crew has to work on rope rather than from a bucket truck.

What is particular to Gatineau. Wind. The EF3 tornado of 21 September 2018 struck the Mont-Bleu sector, and the derecho of 21 May 2022 dropped trees on houses and power lines on both sides of the river. Many owners have had their large trees inspected since, and that is sensible: a properly thinned crown lets wind through, while a dense, unbalanced tree acts like a sail. The other local factor is the calendar. Late winter, when the tree is dormant and its structure is visible, suits most broadleaf trees. What has to be avoided is the general nesting period, which runs from mid-April to late August in the zone covering the Outaouais (ECCC, general nesting periods). Dead wood and a dangerous branch can be removed at any time.

Who is allowed to do this work, and this part is new. Since 8 June 2026, Quebec's Regulation respecting occupational health and safety has required anyone performing arboriculture work to hold a qualification certificate of the appropriate class or a valid apprenticeship record (APSAM, report au 8 juin 2026 (RSST art. 312.103)). The ARBO certificate covers pruning, trimming, predetermined felling outside forests, stump removal and bracing, and is obtained after a minimum of 1,800 supervised apprenticeship hours, mandatory courses and a written examination (Québec, certificat en arboriculture (ARBO)). A separate certificate, ARBO-S, covers ground work (certificat ARBO-S, travaux au sol). This is a regulatory obligation rather than a voluntary badge, and you are entitled to see it. On top of that sits the professional ISA Certified Arborist credential, administered in Quebec by the SIAQ, which requires three years of experience, a 200 question examination with a 76 per cent pass mark, and 30 continuing education credits every three years (SIAQ, about certification).

What to ask before you hire. Who on your crew holds the arboriculture qualification certificate, and which class. Are you an ISA Certified Arborist, and may I check the SIAQ directory. Do you have a CNESST compliance certificate and liability insurance, and for how much. What percentage of living branches will be removed. Is topping part of the plan, because that would be illegal. Who clears and chips the brush. Is the quote written and itemised.