I am a single mother in Ottawa raising a child on my own. In 2022 and 2023, after multiple contractors warned me that a large city-owned tree was likely to damage my home, I contacted the City of Ottawa several times and asked that action be taken. I was told the tree would not be removed.

Today, that same tree has caused approximately $150,000 in damage to my home.

Engineering reports have identified tree roots beneath my foundation, causing settlement and structural damage. Cracks continue to worsen while I wait for the City to make a decision. More than six months have passed since the City began its investigation, yet no final determination has been made. During that time, the damage has continued and the cost of repairs has increased.

What makes this situation even more frustrating is that homeowners are often expected to pay thousands of dollars for soil testing and engineering reports before the City will even consider taking action. In my case, the additional testing requested by the City is expected to cost approximately $10,000. Most families simply cannot afford these expenses.

This is not just my problem. Across Ottawa, homeowners are dealing with foundation damage, sewer damage, and property loss caused by mature city-owned trees. The current process is slow, expensive, and places the financial burden on residents who did nothing wrong.

We are calling on the City of Ottawa to:

• Establish a maximum timeline of 15 business days to determine whether a city-owned tree poses a risk to private property.

• Remove the requirement of soil testing when engineering assessments state the damage is due to city-owned trees. We know the city resides on the sensitive marine clay soil. Each home owner should not have to spend thousands to prove it. 

• Create a proactive tree-risk program that responds to homeowner concerns before major damage occurs.

• Improve transparency by providing homeowners with regular updates and clear timelines during investigations.

• Prioritize prevention over litigation, saving both taxpayers and homeowners significant costs.

Preventing damage is far less expensive than repairing homes, fighting legal claims, and allowing problems to worsen for years. Homeowners should not have to spend tens of thousands of dollars proving what was already reported to the City years earlier.

I am asking residents of Ottawa to support this petition and call on City Council to reform the process. No homeowner should be forced to watch their home deteriorate while waiting months or years for a decision. We need a system that acts quickly, protects residents, and addresses problems before they become disasters.

Please sign and share this petition to help protect Ottawa homeowners and hold the City accountable for preventing avoidable damage from city-owned trees.