By Jim Douglas, Ottawa Citizen Letter to the Editor, October 10, 2017
Who should pay for fallen trees in the city
Re: We’re not prepared, Oct. 4.
Another way in which we are not prepared for more intense storms is in regard to the damage that will befall our urban forests, and the costs associated with this.
Apart from the primary concern of human safety and threats to property there is the very significant issue of reparation costs. The removal of a fallen tree, especially a large tree in a residential backyard, can cost ten of thousands of dollars, a daunting prospect for property owners. In my opinion, costs of removal of damaged and fallen trees on private property should be shared by the community as a whole, as the benefits of the urban forest are to the overall community.
http://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/letters/todays-letters-urban-trees-nhl-captains-voting-reform