Council votes to consider toughening Kingston’s Tree By-Law

By Christena Lawrie, CFRC's Broadcast Journalist and Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.

At their most recent meeting, Council unanimously voted in favour of looking into toughening the City’s Tree By-Law.

The motion, moved by Councillor Lisa Osanic, directs staff to review the Tree By-Law and bring forward amendments requiring a permit for all clear-cutting. Staff are also tasked with proposing any additional changes needed to improve the by-law’s enforceability.

An amendment was quickly introduced by Osanic to bring the issue to the Rural Economic and Community Development Working Group for consultation and feedback.

Some councillors raised concerns about the potential impact changes could have on agricultural operations in rural areas, emphasizing the importance of meaningful consultation before any changes are finalized.

In the end, Council voted unanimously to move forward.

City staff are expected to report back to Council in the third quarter of 2026 with proposed amendments.

Listen to the full story here.