Fruit Tree Removal Incentive

Protecting Wildlife Starts in Our Backyards

Fruit trees may seem harmless, but they are a leading cause of human-wildlife conflict. In fact, accessing fruit trees is the number one reason why bears in the Bow Valley are relocated or killed.

To help reduce these risks, the Town of Canmore offers a Fruit Tree Removal Incentive to reduce the financial barrier that often prevents residents from removing fruit-bearing trees.

Thanks to the generous support of the G7, we are partnering with the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley for 2025 to offer a Fruit Tree Replacement Incentive. This additional support for residents will help cover the cost of planting a replacement tree.

Together, we’re making Canmore safer for people and wildlife—one tree at a time.

 

How the Program Works 

Eligibility

  • Individuals who own a home or property located within the Town of Canmore.
  • Condo boards or commercial properties within the Town of Canmore.

1. Arrange for Removal

Hire a certified arborist or professional tree removal service to remove your fruit-bearing tree(s). If you are also applying for the fruit tree replacement, arrange for a non-fruit-bearing tree to be planted.

2. Arrange for Replacement

If you are also applying for the fruit tree replacement, select a tree from the approved planting list below and arrange for a certified arborist or professional landscaper to plant the tree.

Replacement trees:

  • Trembling Aspen
  • Balsam Poplar
  • River Birch
  • Paper Birch
  • Dougal/Rocky Mountain Maple
  • Manitoba Maple
  • Spring Snow Crab Apple (fruitless)
  • White/Purple Lilac

3. Pay for the Service

You cover the cost of the removal (or removal and replacement) upfront.

4. Apply for the Incentive

Please have the following ready when submitting your application:

  • Proof of address (e.g., driver's license or utility bill)

  • A detailed invoice outlining the work completed:
      • Must clearly list the type and number of trees removed
      • If applying for a replacement incentive, the invoice must also include the type and number of trees replanted
      • Important: tree replacement is based on a 1:1 ratio-- each removed tree can be replaced with one tree only.

Apply Here

 

5. Receive Your Reimbursement

Once your invoice is reviewed and approved, we’ll issue your incentive

 

FAQs

Fruit trees attract bears into residential areas, increasing the risk of human-wildlife conflict. This program helps reduce that risk by removing the financial barrier to removing and replacing fruit-bearing trees.

The program reimburses:

  • 100% of the pre-tax cost of removing fruit trees or bushes, up to:
    • $500 per residential property
    • $1,000 per condo association or commercial property (for removal of 5 or more trees)
  • 100% of the pre-tax cost to replace removed trees with non-fruit-bearing alternatives, up to $500 per residential property or up to $1,000 per condo association or commercial property (for the replacement of 5 or more trees)
  • Trembling Aspen
  • Balsam Poplar
  • River Birch
  • Paper Birch
  • Dougal/Rocky Mountain Maple
  • Manitoba Maple
  • Spring Snow Crab Apple (fruitless)
  • White/Purple Lilac

Homeowners, condo associations, and commercial property owners in Canmore are eligible. Condo and commercial properties must remove five or more fruit trees to qualify for the higher removal incentive.

You’ll need to submit:

  • Proof of address (e.g., driver’s license or utility bill)
  • A detailed invoice showing:
    • The type and number of fruit trees removed
    • If applicable, the type and number of replacement trees planted

No. The replacement incentive follows a 1:1 ratio — each removed fruit tree can be replaced with one non-fruit-bearing tree.

Once your invoice is reviewed and approved:

  • A cheque will be mailed to you, or
  • You can receive direct deposit by including a photo of a void cheque with your application.

No. Incentives are only awarded after a paid invoice is submitted. Funding is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

We cannot reimburse for:

  • General landscaping
  • Removal of non-fruit-bearing trees
  • Invoices that do not clearly separate eligible work

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