Etobicoke Lawn Care, Lawn Mowing and Snow Removal

What makes Etobicoke lawn care different?

Etobicoke has older lots, a heavy tree canopy and ravines along the Humber River, Mimico Creek and Etobicoke Creek. Grass competes with tree roots for water and light, so the lawn care that works here is a higher cut, shade-tolerant seed, steady leaf removal and no digging in root zones.

The neighbourhoods differ more than people expect. The Kingsway, Princess-Rosethorn and Humber Valley Village have deep front yards and big trees. Islington Village, Eatonville and Markland Wood are established streets with hedges and foundation beds. In south Etobicoke, Mimico, Long Branch and Alderwood have smaller, narrower lots, and Rexdale in the north mixes detached homes with townhouse complexes.

Do you need a permit to work near trees in Etobicoke?

Sometimes. Toronto requires a permit to injure or remove a private tree 30 cm or more in diameter, measured 1.4 m above the ground, and any City street tree of any size. On ravine-protected land every tree is covered, and so are regrading and dumping fill.

Pruning needs no permit when done to good arboricultural practice, so routine hedge and shrub work is fine. The bigger risk is landscaping. Trenching a new bed edge, piling soil against a trunk or digging a patio base can injure roots, and Toronto sets protection zones during construction, such as 2.4 m around a private tree 30 to 40 cm wide. Ravine-protected lots along the Humber and Etobicoke Creek need a permit to change grade or add fill, so we plan landscaping and planting around the slope, not into it.

How does Toronto yard waste collection work in Etobicoke?

The City picks up yard waste every other week on your garbage day, from around mid-March to mid-November. Use kraft paper bags or rigid open-top containers 55 to 95 cm tall, never plastic bags. Grass clippings are not collected, so leave them on the lawn or compost them.

Every-other-week pickup is the catch in a tree-heavy area, because mature trees drop far more than one pickup can take. Branch bundles must be no longer than 1.2 m (4 ft), no wider than 0.6 m (2 ft) and under 20 kg. Our fall cleanup bags leaves to City rules, and a light final leaf fall can be mulched straight into the turf. The City also suggests leaving some fallen leaves and branches in the yard over winter as habitat for native pollinators.

Who clears snow in Etobicoke: the City or you?

Both. The City clears about 98% of public sidewalks once 2 cm has fallen and the snow stops, and plows local roads at 8 cm. Driveways, steps and landings are yours within 24 hours. On eligible Etobicoke streets, a windrow machine opens a 3 m gap at your driveway after plowing.

Windrow clearing only reaches some Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough streets: ones wide enough for the specialty plow, with limited on-street parking and no boulevard storage. If your street is not on it, the plow ridge is yours too. Shovelled snow has to stay on your property, and pushing it onto the road or sidewalk can bring a $500 fine plus a $110 victim surcharge.

A seasonal snow removal contract covers November 1 to April 30, paid in six monthly instalments. Every time snow reaches 5 cm (2 in), we clear and salt your driveway, walkways and front steps, and the snow stays on your lot. The price is set by your driveway's size and layout, and the quote is free. Torn between a contract and paying per storm? Read seasonal contract vs per-visit snow removal.

How much does Etobicoke lawn mowing cost?

Weekly Etobicoke lawn mowing starts at $150 a month for a standard residential lot, May to October. What raises the price here is size and terrain: deep Kingsway or Humber Valley lots, steep ravine slopes and backyards with no side access, all quoted from your address and a photo.

Shaded lawns gain the most from fall aeration and overseeding with a shade-tolerant mix, and aeration can be bundled into your weekly lawn mowing price. Townhouse complexes and small commercial lots in north Etobicoke fall under commercial lawn care, starting at $300 a month. Hedges, mulch and power washing are quoted on top, and first-time customers get $25 off the first service.