Delta Council has directed staff to proceed with the next phase of community engagement for the Sunshine Hills Neighbourhood Tree Protection Pilot Program. During this phase, property owners in Cougar Canyon, Sunshine Hills, and Scottsdale will be invited to review proposed bylaw amendments and indicate whether they support implementing the pilot program in their neighbourhoods.
“This work began in response to interest from residents in the Sunshine Hills area, and we were pleased to see strong participation during the first phase of engagement,” said Mayor George V. Harvie. “That feedback helped shape a potential tree protection pilot program, and we now encourage property owners in the neighbourhoods with the highest levels of participation and support to let us know if they would like to see it implemented.”
At the direction of Council in October 2025, staff launched an engagement program to explore a Neighbourhood Tree Protection Pilot Program in response to community concerns about the loss of mature tree canopy in Sunshine Hills. As defined by the 2011 North Delta Area Plan, seven neighbourhoods with similar tree characteristics were included in the engagement area: Sunshine, Sunshine Woods, Sunshine Hills, Sunshine Village, Westview, Cougar Canyon, and Scottsdale.
Survey invitations were sent to 2,693 properties, generating 564 responses between January 19 and February 15, 2026. Input from this first phase helped identify three potential bylaw amendments that could form the basis of a neighbourhood tree protection pilot program:
- Amending the definition of a “large diameter” tree to 50 cm or greater, increasing the number of replacement trees required when these trees are removed
- Removing the provision allowing one tree to be removed within 24 months without an arborist report, requiring an arborist report for all removals
- Establishing a “Significant Tree” designation with a higher threshold for removal and associated fees
Interest in participating in a pilot program was highest in Cougar Canyon, Sunshine Hills, and Scottsdale, and these neighbourhoods will move forward to the next phase of engagement.
If supported by the community and approved by Council, the bylaw amendments would be implemented and reviewed after a two-year period, with additional community feedback collected.
Details from the first phase of the engagement program, including a summary of community feedback, are available at letstalk.delta.ca/treeprotection and in the Council Report here.