Mississauga Invites Residents to Help Grow the City’s Urban Forest

The Mississauga Tree Planting Program offers free street and park trees to help grow a healthier and more resilient urban forest.

MISSISSAUGA — The City of Mississauga is encouraging residents to help expand the city’s urban forest by taking advantage of its free public tree planting program, which allows homeowners to request new or replacement trees on City-owned streets and in parks.

The initiative is part of Mississauga’s long-term strategy to protect, restore and grow its urban forest as the city continues to develop. City officials say planting more trees today will help create healthier, greener neighbourhoods for future generations.

Mississauga is currently home to approximately 2.1 million trees, with municipal forestry staff responsible for maintaining trees on City property through regular inspections, pruning, watering, mulching and long-term forest management.

Trees Provide Environmental Benefits

According to the City, trees play a critical role in improving quality of life throughout Mississauga.

Urban trees help clean the air, provide shade during hot weather, support birds and wildlife, absorb stormwater, reduce flooding and contribute to healthier, more resilient neighbourhoods.

As Mississauga grows, officials say expanding the urban forest remains an important part of ensuring every community continues to benefit from these environmental and public health advantages.

Residents Can Request Trees Free of Charge

Residents can request a new or replacement tree for eligible City streets or parks at no cost.

Requests can be submitted by calling 311 or by completing the City’s online tree request form.

Once a request is received, the City’s Forestry team will inspect the location within approximately 30 business days to determine whether planting is appropriate.

During the assessment, staff evaluate available planting space, soil conditions, nearby utility infrastructure and the diversity of tree species already growing in the surrounding neighbourhood before selecting a suitable tree.

Planting Scheduled During Spring and Fall

If a location is approved, the City will schedule the planting during its regular spring or fall planting seasons.

The timing of individual requests may vary depending on seasonal planting schedules and operational priorities.

Following planting, the City will water newly planted trees throughout their growing seasons for the first two years to help establish healthy root systems.

Residents Can Help New Trees Thrive

City officials encourage residents to support newly planted trees by providing additional watering during extended periods of hot or dry weather whenever possible.

Residents are also encouraged to watch for signs of tree stress or declining health and report concerns to the City.

To help homeowners care for young trees, Mississauga provides guidance on proper watering, mulching, staking and general tree maintenance.

Growing a More Resilient City

The public tree planting program is one component of Mississauga’s broader efforts to strengthen its urban forest and improve environmental sustainability.

By increasing tree canopy across streets, parks and neighbourhoods, the City aims to improve climate resilience, enhance biodiversity and create healthier public spaces for residents.

Those interested in requesting a tree or learning more about tree care and pruning services can contact the City through 311 or visit Mississauga’s forestry webpages.

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