York Region street trees thriving, 91% in healthy condition

Newmarket – York Regional Council received an update on The Regional Municipality of York’s 2025 Street Tree Health Assessment, confirming continued improvement with 91% of over 4,200 evaluated trees in healthy condition.

“Regional streetscapes help define our community character and foster a strong sense of place, enhancing residents’ health and quality of life now and for generations to come,” said Eric Jolliffe, York Region Chairman and CEO. “I am grateful for the Region’s work to carefully maintain our street trees, honouring our commitment to a sustainable environment and supporting Council’s goal of achieving 40% canopy cover – or the amount of ground that is shaded by tree leaves and branches.”

Street trees provide numerous benefits to residents, including shade, carbon absorption, energy conservation, improved air quality, prevention of soil erosion, climate change mitigation, stormwater management, traffic calming and public health benefits.

Over the past 25 years, York Region has significantly improved its Street Tree program through regular watering, better soil preparation and a curated list of top-performing species. These efforts led to steady gains in tree health, with assessments in 2010, 2015 and 2020 showing 76%, 84% and 87% of trees in healthy condition, respectively.

“York Region continues to demonstrate leadership in sustainable forestry initiatives through its rigorous standards, notably receiving a recent prestigious forestry certification,” said City of Richmond Hill Mayor, David West, Chair of Public Works - Environmental Services. “York Region’s Street Tree program helps extend tree life expectancy, reduce long-term capital replacement costs and maintain a resilient urban forest, supporting healthy, vibrant communities across the Region.”

Since adopting a Streetscape Policy in 2001, and in recognition of the multiple benefits provided by street trees, the Region has made a significant investment in planting and maintenance of street trees. Planting, maintenance and monitoring programs occur throughout the Region, ensuring all residents receive the benefits provided by street trees.

Learn more about street trees at york.ca/StreetTrees

Key facts

• York Region’s street trees include over 77,800 trees, shrubs and plants on Regional roads - main roadways that connect our nine local cities and towns to one another
• The estimated replacement value of York Region’s street trees is more than $600 million
• York Region plants 1,500 to 2,000 street trees each year, primarily in existing urban areas
• Street tree health assessments are conducted every five years to monitor performance and guide program improvements

The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns and provides a variety of programs and services to 1.29 million residents and 57,000 businesses with approximately 624,000 employees. More information about York Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/RegionalServices

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Media Contact:

Melissa Pinto, Corporate Communications, The Regional Municipality of York
Cell: 437-997-6821
Email: @email