Ash Tree Removal in Vaughan

Tree Service Master removes ash trees killed by emerald ash borer all over Vaughan, and we move fast because dead ash doesn’t wait. We look at the tree the day you call, tell you how far gone it is and give you a firm quote. The City permit for ash has no fee, and once it’s in, we book the removal quickly.

Emerald Ash Borer in Vaughan

Emerald ash borer is a beetle from Asia. Its larvae tunnel under the bark and cut off the tree’s flow of water and nutrients. It reached the GTA years ago, and untreated ash across Vaughan has died in large numbers since. Ash was a favourite street and yard tree in subdivisions built in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, so Maple, Vellore Village, Sonoma Heights and parts of Woodbridge have lost a lot of it.

Many ash trees still standing in backyards are dead or close to it. Some leafed out weakly for a year or two before dying, so owners didn’t notice right away.

Signs of Emerald Ash Borer

• A thinning crown, starting at the top and working down.
• D-shaped exit holes about 3 to 4 mm wide in the bark.
• Vertical splits in the bark, with S-shaped tunnels underneath.
• Shoots sprouting from the lower trunk or roots.
• Woodpecker damage, where birds strip patches of bark looking for larvae.

If you see two or more of these, the tree is likely infested. Send a photo and we’ll tell you what we think.

Why Dead Ash Needs to Come Down Soon

Ash wood behaves differently from other species once the tree dies. It dries out and goes brittle within a year or two. Limbs that would bend on a dead maple snap on a dead ash, and trunks can break partway up. The longer a dead ash stands, the less of it a climber can trust.

That changes how we remove it and what it costs. A recently dead ash can be climbed and taken down in sections like any tree. An ash that has stood dead for several years needs more rigging from below, smaller pieces and more time. Booking early saves money and cuts risk.

How We Remove an Ash Tree

We start by checking the wood from the ground: bark loss, cracks, the main forks and the limbs over the house. That tells us how much of the tree a climber can work on and where we need to rig from below instead.

Where the wood is sound, a climber ties in and cuts the tree in sections, and the ground crew lowers each piece on a rope. Where it isn’t, we take small pieces from the outside in and keep the climber clear of the weak points. Branches go through the chipper at the curb, and the trunk gets cut into lengths.

Ash wood should stay on your property or go through the chipper. Moving ash firewood spreads the beetle to new areas, so we don’t haul rounds to other properties for reuse.

Permits for Ash Trees in Vaughan

The City of Vaughan’s Tree Protection By-law 177-2025 covers private trees with a trunk 20 cm or wider at 1.37 m above the ground. Ash trees are named in the by-law’s no-fee category, along with dead and hazardous trees. That permit has no fee, no replacement planting and no arborist report. It’s valid for six months and has to be posted on the property during the work. Our Vaughan permit guide explains the steps.

Ash on the City boulevard is a City tree. Report it to Vaughan Public Works at 905-832-8585.

Treat or Remove?

A healthy ash, or one with only early signs, can sometimes be saved with an injected insecticide such as TreeAzin, repeated every couple of years. That treatment needs a pesticide applicator with a provincial licence, and we don’t offer it. Once a large part of the crown is dead, treatment rarely helps, and removal is usually the safer choice. We’ll tell you which side of that line your tree is on.

What Ash Removal Costs

Height, trunk width, access and what sits underneath set most of the price. With ash, the condition of the wood matters more than usual. A tree that died last year costs less to remove than one that has stood dead for five. The table on this page shows typical Canadian ranges; your quote is firm before any work starts.

What Replaces the Ash

After the tree comes down, most people want the stump gone so they can replant or reseed. We can grind it on the same visit, so the spot is ready for topsoil and seed that week. For a new tree in exactly the same place, full stump removal clears the main roots out of the way.

How Fast an Ash Tree Declines

An infested ash usually shows it at the top first. The upper crown thins, then whole limbs stop leafing out, and shoots start sprouting low on the trunk as the tree tries to survive. Once borers have girdled the trunk, the tree dies within a few seasons. By the time most owners notice the thin crown, much of the damage under the bark is already done.

That’s why we suggest acting on the first clear signs. An ash that is still partly alive is the easiest and cheapest one to take down. A climber can still trust most of the limbs, and the rigging stays simple.

Ash Near the House or Wires

Ash planted beside a driveway or close to the house is common in Vaughan subdivisions. When it dies, the limbs over the roof are the first concern. We rope each one, cut it in short pieces and lower it away from the shingles and eavestroughs. If the tree has grown into the main lines along the street, call Alectra Utilities first, and we’ll handle the rest once the line is clear.

Several Ash on One Property

Ash was often planted in groups, so many Vaughan lots have two, three or a whole row along the back fence. Booking them together is faster and usually cheaper per tree. The crew sets up once, the chipper stays parked in one spot, and the whole row comes down in a day or two. We quote each tree separately on one quote, so you can take them all or start with the worst ones.

Ash on Valley and Woodlot Lots

Some of the largest dead ash in Vaughan stand on lots that back onto the Humber River valleys in Woodbridge and Kleinburg, or in woodlots around Kleinburg and Nashville. Lots on TRCA-regulated land can need TRCA approval as well as the City permit. Larger woodlands can also fall under York Region’s forest conservation by-law. Check both before work starts. We’ll flag it on the visit if your lot looks like it’s in one of those areas.

Ash Stumps

A dead ash stump doesn’t sprout the way a live one can, so grinding it below the grass is usually enough. If the ash was still partly alive when it came down, it can send up shoots from the roots for a season or two. Mow them off, and they stop. For a new tree in the same spot, full stump removal takes out the root mass that would get in the way of planting.

Picking a Replacement Tree

Don’t replace an ash with another ash. Mix the species on your street instead, so one pest can’t wipe out every tree at once. Vaughan’s clay soil suits trees such as hackberry, Kentucky coffeetree, swamp white oak and serviceberry. Plant a few metres from the old stump, and give a tall tree room to grow away from the house.

Getting Ready for Removal Day

• Keep people and cars out from under the tree, especially on windy days.
• Unlock the side gate and move patio furniture away from the drop zone.
• Have the City permit posted where we can see it.
• Tell your neighbour if the tree hangs over their side.