The City of New Westminster isn’t on the hook for replacement cost for trees that die within the first year of being planted.
While receiving a quarterly report about the city’s capital and operating performance, Coun. Daniel Fontaine raised the issue of trees, as one of the reports included funds for a tree planting company. He said he’s seen a lot of dead trees at təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre and has noticed that many trees along the Agnes Greenway have been cut down after being planted in the spring.
“There seems to be an inordinately high number of trees that are being planted and then cut and then replanted,” he said.
Fontaine questioned if the trees are under warranty from the companies hired to do the planting.
“Do we keep the receipt and get our money back?” he said. “Or are … we on the hook if … they end up dying.”
Erika Mashig, the city’s manager of arboriculture, horticulture, parks and open space planning, said the city received a large grant for Phase 1 of Urban Reforestation and Biodiversity Enhancement Initiative (URBEI), which will see 2,200 trees planted in the city’s parks and open spaces. She said the grant requires contractors to put those trees in the ground.
“Staff have put together specifications and guidelines for tree planting, as well as supervision, review and acceptance of those trees,” she said. “It is typical to have a one-year warranty on the trees, so if they fail, they're replaced at no cost.”
Mashig confirmed there have been issues with some of the trees planted in the city,
“The projects you referred to, the Agnes Street Greenway and təməsew̓txʷ, there have been some failures,” she said. “Those trees are being reviewed and replaced under warranty.”
Fontaine said community members have asked him if the trees are under warranty, so that’s good news to share.
“The public can rest assured that the trees will be replaced, and hopefully they'll survive the next year,” he said.
In June 2021, the City of New Westminster announced it had received $1.7 million in provincial and federal funding for its Urban Reforestation and Biodiversity Enhancement Initiative (URBEI) as part of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) – COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream (CVRIS). It will see 2,200 new trees planted in New Westminster’s parks and open spaces.
