Toronto needs to take better care of its trees in the wake of December’s ice storm and predictions of more extreme weather due to climate change, councillors say.

Maintenance, especially pruning, can help trees withstand the stress of an ice storm, said Councillor Sarah Doucette (Ward 13, Parkdale-High Park), the city’s tree advocate.

Doucette said streets in her neighbourhood and High Park itself had less tree damage because pruning was carried out last year.

“I think it’s proof that if you maintain your city trees and encourage residents to maintain private trees, we will have far less damage if we do have another ice storm,” she said.

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The issue was discussed at Monday’s parks and environment committee meeting, where staff were asked to report in a year’s time on ways to improve tree protection.

Of about 4.1 million trees managed by the city, the city plans to prune about 73,000 trees this year and plant about 78,000.

Before the ice storm, the city’s tree canopy covered 28 per cent of the city. An evaluation continues on the extent to which the ice storm reduced that percentage. The city’s long-term goal is to increase the canopy to 40 per cent by 2057.

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“We need to keep planting, year after year after year,” Doucette said.

Councillor Jaye Robinson said residents in her well-treed area, Ward 25, Don Valley West, believe the city’s tree protection bylaw doesn’t have enough teeth.

The parks and environment committee asked staff to report back on several issues, including:

Giving tree protection greater priority at development sites.

Clarifying the tree protection bylaw to highlight when trees can be taken down and better define what is considered a healthy tree versus one in poor condition.

Compiling statistics on tree removal applications granted and refused.

Doucette said that when developers are allowed to fell trees but required to plant new one, staff should check back to see if the replacement trees have, in fact, been planted successfully.

“We don’t have the staff to do this,” she said. “We need to start looking to put that in the budget, because we could be losing a lot of young trees.”

The need to look after the tree canopy will only grow as it comes under increasing threat from bad weather, said Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon.

“We need to get our heads around the fact that we are full-on into climate change,” McMahon said. “We’re going to be facing many more storms and wonky weather.”

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