Starting in the new year, the Town of Oakville will be pruning trees near hydro lines in scheduled neighbourhoods on behalf of Oakville Hydro. The work is expected to be completed by spring. Trees are pruned to ensure safe clearance around hydro lines and to minimize safety hazards and power outages while maintaining the health and structure of the trees. A public open house will take place on January 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre for residents to learn more about the process.
“Regular pruning around hydro lines makes trees structurally more resilient to extreme weather events such as ice storms,” said John McNeil, manager, Forestry Services. “During the 2013 ice storm, for example, trees in the hydro line clearing program sustained significantly less damage than trees not in the program.”
There are approximately 18,000 municipal and privately owned trees in the town’s hydro line clearing program. Trees in the program are pruned on a three-year cycle in each of the three zones covering Oakville Hydro’s service area in compliance with the Electrical Safety Authority’s (ESA) industry standard of providing a minimum three-metre (10-foot) clearance around main hydro lines. In rare instances, trees growing too close to the hydro line may need to be removed if the clearance standard cannot be achieved using acceptable pruning practices.
In some instances, the town must prune privately owned trees if they have grown too close to the hydro line. When hydro lines are located in rear yards, Oakville Hydro has an easement through the property which allows the arborist to access the tree.
At the open house, residents will have the opportunity to speak with representatives from the town’s Forestry section and Oakville Hydro.
For more information, including a hydro line clearing zone map visit oakvillehydro.com.
If you have any accessibility needs, please contact ServiceOakville one week before the open house at 905-845-6601 or [email protected] or by filling out the accessible online feedback form at oakville.ca.