Trees and safe streets

What we know

The Township counted 1,687 trees along its roads. It found 727 dead. The 2025 ice storm came after that count. Source: Davey tree inventory, Nov 2023, Council agenda 12 Mar 2024.
White ash made up 35% of those trees, more than any other kind. Staff wrote that "the Emerald Ash Borer has had a significant impact on almost all of the Ash trees in the Township". Source: same inventory; staff's report on it, p.90.
Ontario law says the Township "shall adopt and maintain" a policy on how it guards and grows its trees. Source: Municipal Act, s.270(1), para 7.
Its update sits on the Township's to-do list. Source: Council action list, agenda 22 Sep 2026, p.29.
For this year's new street of homes, the Township set "1 tree per every 2 lots". Source: Council agenda 27 Jan 2026, p.113.
Council asked staff to work with the Province on one more Highway 7 crossing. A report comes back 20 Oct. Source: Resolution 246/26, 25 Aug 2026; action list, agenda 22 Sep 2026.

Finish the Tree Policy, with a replace-what-dies rule. When a street tree dies, a native tree goes back. No one kind of tree takes over a street.
Who decides: Council alone. The law requires a policy.
Trees on every new street. Plant about one every 10 metres, all native. Builders replace any that die in two years. The Township holds back money until they take.
Who decides: the County approves new streets. The Township writes the tree terms, as in January.
Plant with outside money. Use the County's free trees, which Council already backed. Apply for grants to grow the tree cover.
Who decides: Council applies. Funders decide. Source: Resolution 154/26.
A tree by-law: no one clears land before the go-ahead. It also requires a permit to strip topsoil for sale. Normal farming needs none.
Who decides: Council alone. Source: Municipal Act, s.135 and s.142.
Work toward a safer walk to school across Highway 7. Back the crossing study. Push for a sidewalk and crossings on County Road 40. Make speeding on Highway 7 a top job for the OPP. Ask the Province for the crossing money Havelock can get and we can't.
Who decides: the Province owns Highway 7. The County owns Road 40, and the mayor votes there. The mayor sits on the OPP board that sets its goals. Source: Council agenda 11 Jun 2024, p.159; Connecting Links Program Guide, 2022-23.