SUNSHINE HILLS NEIGHBOURHOOD TREE PROTECTION PILOT PROGRAM
In response to community concerns about tree loss, Delta Council directed staff to explore a Neighbourhood Tree Protection Pilot Program in the Sunshine Hills area. In February 2026, staff completed Phase One of community engagement, inviting input from 2,693 property owners in the Sunshine Hills area, as well as other Delta residents interested in the project, to provide feedback on proposed options for tree protection. Based on the feedback received, Council has directed staff to proceed with Phase Two of engagement to confirm the proposed bylaw changes and interest in participating among property owners in the Sunshine Hills, Cougar Canyon, and Scottsdale neighbourhoods, where interest in the pilot program was highest.
Read on to learn more about the proposed neighbourhood specific changes to the Tree Protection and Regulation Bylaw and how you can provide feedback.
Who We Engaged in Phase One
The targeted engagement area was informed by the 2011 North Delta Area Plan, which identifies distinct neighbourhood boundaries, and included seven neighbourhoods with similar tree characteristics: Sunshine, Sunshine Woods, Sunshine Hills, Sunshine Village, Westview, Cougar Canyon, and Scottsdale. A total of 2,693 property owners in these areas received a postcard with a unique survey code inviting feedback on potential tree protection tools and interest in applying the program to their neighbourhood. Residents who were not property owners or who lived outside the Sunshine Hills area were invited to provide feedback through a comment form on the project webpage.
Feedback was received from 564 property owners across the seven neighbourhoods and 23 additional residents from outside the area or who were not property owners.
What We Considered
Staff reviewed existing tree protection rules, legislation, and municipal tools to understand what options were possible for enhanced tree protection. Key considerations included:
• The provincial Community Charter limits the City’s ability to restrict tree removal on private property if it prevents development allowed under existing zoning.
• Delta’s Tree Protection and Regulation Bylaw No. 7969, 2021 provides the framework for regulating tree removal across the City.
• The Delta Heritage Register can protect trees on heritage properties, but there are currently no registered heritage properties in Sunshine Hills.
• Restrictive covenants are a voluntary option for homeowners to protect trees on their property but involve legal considerations.
What We Heard
Delta’s Tree Protection Bylaw was identified as the primary tool for regulating tree removal on private property. The City identified a range of potential bylaw amendments to explore as part of a pilot program, which were presented to the community for feedback. Key findings included:
Bylaw Changes
Majority support for:
• Introducing a Significant Tree designation
• Redefining what qualifies as a “large” tree to expand protections
• Removing the allowance permitting one large tree removal every 24 months without an arborist report
Mixed support for:
• Higher cash-in-lieu fees
• Higher replacement requirements
Other Key Themes
• Limited awareness of Community Charter constraints (60% unaware)
• Preference for addressing redevelopment-related tree removal over homeowner restrictions
• Interest in preservation-first approaches
• Support for a layered approach to address canopy loss
• Balance between environmental goals and homeowner property rights
Visit letstalk.delta.ca/TreeProtection for more information. If you have any questions, contact us at TreeProtection@delta.ca or 604-952-3800.
Tools Being Considered
Based on survey results and community feedback, three bylaw changes are proposed as part of the potential pilot program. These changes are designed to work within the limits of the Community Charter. The proposed changes include:
Introducing a Significant Tree definition for Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Himalayan Cedar, Norway Spruce and Giant Redwood trees with a trunk diameter of 70 cm or greater 1
What this means: Proposed protection measures would include reviewing development applications that propose their removal to assess whether reasonable design changes could allow the trees to be retained, increasing the tree removal permit application fee from $100 to $200, and tripling replacement requirements and cash-in-lieu amounts where five or more Significant Trees are proposed for removal.
What this means: More trees would be considered large diameter, resulting in more replacement trees being required for trees with a trunk diameter of 50 cm or greater. Redefining what qualifies as a “large” tree to expand protections 2
Removing the allowance permitting one tree removal every 24 months, for any reason without an arborist report 3
What this means: All tree removals would require an arborist report with supporting rationale for removal.
Visit letstalk.delta.ca/TreeProtection for more information. If you have any questions, contact us at TreeProtection@delta.ca or 604-952-3800.
How Were Neighbourhoods Selected for Phase Two?
Cougar Canyon, Sunshine Hills, and Scottsdale were selected for the next phase of engagement because they had survey participation rates above 20% and responses indicating 75% or more support for applying the pilot program in their neighbourhood, as shown in the map below. Survey responses were limited to one per property to ensure each parcel was represented equally.
Level of Support
DISTINCT COMMUNITIES
Sunshine Village (Response: 13%)
Westview (Response: 20%)
Cougar Canyon (Response: 21%)
Sunshine Hills (Response: 26%)
Scottsdale (Response: 20%)
Sunshine (Response: 13%)
Sunshine Woods (Response: 16%)
Visit letstalk.delta.ca/TreeProtection for more information. If you have any questions, contact us at TreeProtection@delta.ca or 604-952-3800.
How to Provide Feedback
All properties in Cougar Canyon, Scottsdale, and Sunshine Hills will receive a postcard with a unique, address-specific survey code to provide feedback on the proposed bylaw amendments and confirm interest in participating in the pilot program. The postcard includes a QR code linking to an online survey available from March 21 to April 21, 2026. There is one response per property.
All other Delta residents are invited to provide feedback through a comment form at letstalk.delta.ca/TreeProtection.
Need Help?
If you experience issues with your QR code, you can access the survey using this link: myopinionsmatter.ca/f/s/deltaphase2treesurvey
For assistance completing the survey or for your survey access code, please email TreeProtection@delta.ca.
Open House
Join us for a drop-in open house to learn about the proposed pilot program and ask questions before you complete your form.
• When: April 11, 2026 (11 am – 1 pm)
• Where: Sunshine Hills Elementary School, Gym
Explore real-world scenarios and walk through how the proposed tree protection measures may apply to a property. Sessions run every 30 minutes with space for up to five participants. Sign up upon arrival at the open house.
Following step 3, staff will finalize the proposed options and bring the bylaw forward to Council for consideration as part of the implementation phase. What’s Next
Gauge Interest and Identify Options
Visit letstalk.delta.ca/TreeProtection for more information. If you have any questions, contact us at TreeProtection@delta.ca or 604-952-3800.