Postponed Parks & environment

Urban Forest Master Plan update

A $40,000 update of the Town's plan for its trees and forests. On July 23, 2025, Council moved it from 2029 to 2030.

Amount
$40,000
Got
$0
Where it stands
To 2030. Moved by the Eaglecrest funding plan, Jul 2025.

What it is

The Urban Forest Master Plan guides how the Town cares for trees on public and private land. A consultant, Gye and Associates, wrote it. It was finalized in May 2020 and revised up to April 2022.

The plan says adopting it does not commit the Town to its recommendations. Those depend on resources and future Council direction.

The $40,000 update was scheduled for 2029. On July 23, 2025, Council moved it to 2030, the last year of the Town's five-year plan. It was the only item moved from 2029 to 2030. The resolution says each deferred item waits one year, or until the Strategic Initiatives Reserve is paid back from future land sales.

What happened

  1. May 23, 2020Final version of the Urban Forest Master Plan (later revised to April 2022).
  2. December 11, 2024Council asked staff for a report in early 2025 on work done so far under the plan.
  3. July 23, 2025Council moved the $40,000 update from 2029 to 2030 (4–1, Councillor Harrison opposed).
  4. April 1, 2026The 2026–2030 Financial Plan shows $40,000 in 2030.
  5. June 24, 2026Council unanimously sent an invasive species action plan to strategic planning, on Councillor Skipsey's own motion.

Why it matters

  • In the plan's 2019 analysis, tree canopy covered 41% of the study area: 33% in urban areas and 54% in rural areas.
  • The plan says total tree canopy grew by 11% over the previous decade.
  • In a 2017 survey, residents ranked invasive plant control first among tree and vegetation priorities.
  • Staff said the Qualicum Commons lease and the Eaglecrest purchase were not in their work plans for 2025 or 2026, so other planned work had to move.

Sources

Last checked September 19, 2026. Report a mistake.