Yard Cleaning & Cleanup Across Toronto

We do yard cleaning across Toronto — brush hauls, overgrown back-forties, estate cleanups in Forest Hill and Rosedale, post-renovation debris in Leslieville and Riverdale, dead-tree work where the bylaw allows it, and full lot clearing from The Beaches out to Etobicoke and Scarborough. OCM Excavation & Construction has run cleanup crews across the City of Toronto since 2008. Call 416-317-3090 for a site visit and a written number, not a guess.

Why yard cleanup in Toronto is different

Toronto is not one job. A cleanup in Forest Hill or Rosedale usually means an estate lot under a mature canopy — silver maples, beeches, and oaks that fall under the City’s Private Tree By-law (Chapter 813) the second you touch a trunk over 30 cm DBH. Cash-in-lieu and replanting obligations are real, and unpermitted cuts run from a $500 minimum into five-figure fines per tree. We work around protected trunks, not through them.

In The Beaches, Leslieville, and Riverdale the lots are tighter — 20 to 25 feet wide, old houses, narrow side passages, and laneway access instead of a driveway. That changes the equipment we bring and how we load out. A mini-excavator and tracked dumper fit where a skid-steer cannot, and we sometimes carry brush through the house on tarps when there is no other way.

North York is a mix — older Bayview and Willowdale subdivisions with deep lots and overgrown back yards, alongside newer infill where the previous build crew left a moonscape behind. Etobicoke neighbourhoods like Long Branch, Mimico, and Humber Bay sit close to the lake, and Scarborough’s Bluffs area is full of properties that back onto TRCA-regulated ravine slopes. If your back yard drops into the Don, Humber, or Rouge ravine system, a TRCA permit may be needed before we cut anything woody — we flag that on the site visit before quoting.

What we handle in a Toronto yard cleanup

• Brush and overgrowth — buckthorn, manitoba maple saplings, scrub, vines pulled off fences, multi-year grass and weed mats.
• Dead and dying trees — where the trunk is under the 30 cm DBH threshold, or where a Chapter 813 permit is already in hand. We coordinate with arborists; we do not freelance protected trees.
• Deck, fence, shed, and pergola demo — wood, metal, concrete pads, footings pulled when the next build needs clean ground.
• Debris and junk haul-away — bagged yard waste, broken patio stones, old play structures, hot tubs, dumped fill from prior contractors.
• Estate cleanups — Forest Hill, Rosedale, Lawrence Park, Lytton Park: clearing decades of accumulation when a property is changing hands or being prepped for listing.
• Post-renovation cleanup — the mess builders leave behind: drywall scraps, rebar, broken brick, dirt piles, plywood, leftover excavated soil.
• Lot clearing for new builds and additions — full strip down to clean grade, ready for the next trade.

Our cleanup process

1. Site visit. We walk the property with you, mark protected trees, identify access constraints (laneway, side gate width, overhead wires), and check ravine setbacks where it applies.
2. Written quote. A fixed number with scope and disposal tonnage assumptions. No “we’ll see when we get there” pricing.
3. Permit triage. If a Chapter 813 tree permit, TRCA approval, or City of Toronto demo permit is needed, we tell you what’s required before mobilizing.
4. Equipment in. Mini-excavator, tracked dumper, chipper, and a roll-off bin sized to the lot. On tight Toronto laneways we use smaller machines and more trips rather than blocking a street.
5. Cut, gather, load. Brush is chipped on site where space allows, or hauled out in chunks. Hardscape and demo debris are sorted for the right disposal stream.
6. Disposal at licensed facilities. Clean fill, mixed C&D, and yard waste go to the right scale — we keep tickets.
7. Final rake and inspection. The yard is left at a workable grade, ready for sod, gravel, hardscape, or the next contractor. If a real estate listing is the goal, we leave it photo-ready.

What affects yard cleanup cost in Toronto

• Lot size and density of material. A 25-ft Leslieville back yard with two bins of brush is a different job from a 100-ft Rosedale estate lot with 20 years of growth.
• Disposal tonnage. Tipping fees scale with weight. Soil, concrete, and wet wood add up fast.
• Tree by-law permit fees and replacement costs. If a protected tree is in scope, current Chapter 813 permit fees apply and replanting or cash-in-lieu to the City’s Tree Planting Fund is required. Call 311 for the specific tree before assuming anything.
• Access. A wide suburban driveway in North York or Etobicoke is faster and cheaper than a downtown laneway with a 36-inch gate. Carrying brush through a house adds time and protection materials.
• TRCA permits on ravine lots. Properties backing onto the Don River, Humber River, Rouge River, or the Scarborough Bluffs may need TRCA approval before vegetation removal in regulated areas.
• Stage of the job. A spring cleanup is one number. A full lot clear for new construction, with footings to pull and old utilities to cap, is another.

For ballpark ranges across the GTA — small back yards through full overgrown properties, stump grinding, topsoil — see our GTA yard cleaning page. If the job runs into grading, drainage, or excavation, our Toronto excavation and land grading and yard preparation crews handle the next step.

FAQ — Toronto yard cleaning

Can you cut down a dead tree in my Toronto back yard?

If the trunk measures under 30 cm DBH (diameter at breast height), the Private Tree By-law generally does not require a City permit and we can remove it. Once the trunk is 30 cm or larger, even a dead tree typically needs a Chapter 813 permit before any cutting. Call 311 or check toronto.ca to confirm for your specific tree, and we will coordinate the work around the permit timing.

Do you do estate cleanups in Forest Hill and Rosedale?

Yes. A lot of our Toronto work is multi-generational estate cleanups in Forest Hill, Rosedale, Lawrence Park, and Lytton Park — clearing back yards that haven’t been touched in decades, removing failing retaining walls, pulling old sheds and pools, and leaving the property real estate ready. We work carefully under mature canopies and protect heritage trees throughout.

What’s the difference between a spring cleanup and a full yard cleanup?

A spring cleanup is light — leaf and debris removal, cutback, light pruning, edging. A full yard cleanup is heavier: brush clearing, removing dead growth, demolishing old structures, hauling away accumulated junk, regrading where needed. We handle both, but the equipment, crew size, and disposal volume are different, which is why we quote them separately after seeing the property.

My property backs onto a ravine — does that change anything?

Yes. Lots backing onto the Don River, Humber River, Rouge River, or the Scarborough Bluffs sit inside Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) regulated areas. Vegetation removal, grading, or any structural work within the regulated boundary usually requires TRCA approval. We flag this on the site visit and will not start cutting until the right permits are in hand.

Do you handle post-construction cleanup after another contractor leaves?

Often. Builders, additions, and basement underpinnings leave debris, leftover soil, plywood scraps, and dirty yards behind. We come in, strip the property to clean grade, haul to licensed disposal, and hand it back ready for sod, hardscape, or landscaping. Common across Leslieville, Riverdale, North York, and Etobicoke infill builds.

Call 416-317-3090 or request a site visit through our Toronto quote form.