ArborProof

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Kingston, Ontario · Updated September 2026

Best Tree Services in Kingston

The three highest-scoring tree companies that serve Kingston, ranked by ARB Score. Every company in Ontario is checked the same way, on insurance coverage, arborist credentials, experience and reviews. No company can pay to be at the top of this page.

16companies serve Kingston
6with WSIB clearance confirmed
4.7average ARB Score here

Kingston’s top 3 by ARB Score

1

Eco Tree Care Inc.

Serves Kingston

4.9 · 364 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing
SpecializationsHighlighted: what they specialize in (up to 6)
Call 613-531-8733Visit websiteFull profile →
10.5ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences364 Google reviews
4
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience10 years in business
3
Education & training1 ISA Certified Arborist
1.5
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1
2

Tim Allen's Tree Services

Serves Kingston, Brockville, Gananoque and Perth

4.4 · 63 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing
SpecializationsHighlighted: what they specialize in (up to 6)
Call 613-345-2345Visit websiteFull profile →
10ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences63 Google reviews
2
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience25+ years in business
6
Education & trainingNo arborists listed in the ISA directory
0
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1

The ISA directory is opt-in, so a company may have certified arborists we can't see. Ask.

3

McLaren Tree Care

Serves Kingston

5.0 · 219 Google reviewsWSIB clearance confirmed · to Nov 19, 2026
Not yet verified by the businessThese details come from our own research. Is this your business? Claim this listing
SpecializationsHighlighted: what they specialize in (up to 6)
Call 613-539-9191Visit websiteFull profile →
8ARB Score

Score breakdown

Positive client experiences219 Google reviews
4
Compliance & transparencyWSIB clearance confirmed
1
Years of experience7 years in business
2
Education & trainingNo arborists listed in the ISA directory
0
Local & independentFounded in Canada
1

The ISA directory is opt-in, so a company may have certified arborists we can't see. Ask.

Ties are broken by number of Google reviews. McLaren Tree Care and O'Brien Tree Service are tied at 8.

More companies serving Kingston

4O'Brien Tree ServiceEastern Ontario · 3.3 from 12 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed85Oliver K. Reichl - Consulting ArboristEastern Ontario · 5.0 from 22 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB not confirmed76A Better View Tree ServiceEastern Ontario · 4.5 from 26 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed6.57Phillips Tree ServiceEastern Ontario · 4.7 from 28 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB confirmed68Westwood Tree ServicesEastern Ontario · 4.9 from 268 reviewsNot verified by businessWSIB not confirmed5See all 16 companies serving Kingston on the map →
Before you cut

Kingston’s private tree rules

Permit needed in some areas or cases

Most homeowners on an existing house lot in Kingston do not need a permit to remove their own tree. A permit is needed for trees in protected natural areas, rare 'distinctive' species, lots with a pending development application, City trees, and clear-cutting.

Existing urban house lots

Usually no permit needed

Lots with a home built before the by-law, or created through a subdivision or consent, are exempt. The exemption does not apply in Environmental Protection Areas or Significant Woodlands.

Protected areas and special trees

Permit for trees 15 cm and up

A permit is needed for trees 15 cm or wider, measured 1.4 m off the ground, in Environmental Protection Areas, Open Space zones or Significant Woodlands, plus endangered species and 'distinctive' trees (black maple, ginkgo, Kentucky coffee tree, black walnut).

Whole city

Clear-cutting banned for now

A temporary by-law approved March 24, 2026 bans clearing most trees from an area over 0.2 hectares (about half an acre) without a permit, including farmland. It stays in place until the new Official Plan takes effect or Council changes it.

Development sites

Planning applications

Trees on land with an active planning application, or within two years of a pre-application, need a permit.

Whole city

City-owned and boulevard trees

Trees on City property, including road allowances, always need a permit before they are damaged or removed.

Anywhere in Ontario

Trees on a property line

A tree whose trunk sits on the line belongs to both neighbours. Ontario’s Forestry Act says you need your neighbour’s consent before removing or injuring it.

Size limits, fees, replacement trees and exemptions
Which trees need a permit
15 cm measured 1.4 m off the ground (only in protected areas, on development lands, rural lots and City land; existing house lots mostly exempt)
Permit fee
2026 tree permit: $119.90 (1-5 trees), $239.90 (6-15 trees), $479.35 (more than 15 trees); renewal $39.65 / $79.95 / $159.60
Replacement trees
Permits may require replacement planting or compensation (Section 17): 1:1 or 2:1 replacement, or a value set using the ISA trunk formula, with financial security held at least 2 years.
Common exemptions
  • Existing urban residential lots (outside Environmental Protection Areas and Significant Woodlands)
  • Pruning that does not harm the tree
  • Dead, diseased or dangerous trees confirmed by a certified arborist
  • Trees within 15 m of new construction with a building permit
  • Utility and driveway installation with no reasonable alternative
  • Rural personal-use firewood cutting within set limits
What’s changing

Rules under review

Feb 17, 2026: Council directed staff to bring amendments requiring permits for all clear-cutting, with rural consultation; report expected Q3 2026. Mar 24, 2026: temporary clear-cutting ban approved (base penalty $5,000 plus $5,000 per 0.1 ha, per news reports). Status of the permanent amendments as of Sept 2026 not confirmed.

Not sure if you need a permit?

Ask the municipality before any work starts. A good tree company will also check for you and tell you who applies for the permit.

City of Kingston Planning Services (tree permits)

613-546-4291 ext. 3180 (City main line 613-546-0000)Official information page →

Summary checked September 2026. It’s a plain-language guide, not legal advice. Bylaws change, so confirm with the municipality before you remove a tree.

Sources
Before you hire

What to check before you hire a tree service

Tree work is dangerous, and it’s expensive to fix when it goes wrong. Six questions worth asking any company, including the ones on this page.

  1. Ask for a WSIB clearance certificate and proof of liability insurance

    Tree work is one of the most dangerous jobs out there. We do our best on our end, but these certificates can change before we have a chance to update them. Some good companies will give them to you without you even having to ask. Bonus!

  2. Find out who will actually do the work

    You may get a Certified Arborist as your salesperson, but will the same be true of the person who works on your property? You won't know until you ask. A Certified Arborist may cost more, but it can cost a lot more if the work is done wrong and the tree dies early or your property is damaged.

  3. Get the quote in writing

    It should say exactly which trees, and whether cleanup, wood removal, stump grinding and so on are included. The more detailed the quote, the better.

  4. Ask who handles the permit

    If a bylaw applies, agree up front who applies for the permit and who pays the fee. Removing a protected tree without one usually means a fine for the property owner, not the tree company.

  5. If money is tight, try this

    See if the work can be scheduled in a slower season for a lower price. Clear obstacles (fences, gates, lawn ornaments, plants) before the crew arrives. Find someone online, such as on Facebook Marketplace, who will take the wood for free. Or change the scope of work, for example pruning only the lower half of the tree instead of the whole tree.

  6. Trees near power lines are a utility job

    If branches touch or come close to a hydro line, call your local hydro utility (the one on your electricity bill) first. Only crews the utility approves can work near power lines.

How we pick Kingston’s top 3

We rank every company whose service area includes Kingston by ARB Score. The score counts Google reviews, WSIB clearance, published insurance and pricing, years in business, ISA-verified arborists and Canadian ownership. We look up everything except insurance and pricing, which a company tells us itself.

Tree services near Kingston

BellevilleOttawaPeterborough

ARB Scores reflect public records and research on the date checked. Always confirm insurance, certification and WSIB coverage directly with a company before you hire it.