Tree Voucher Program

If you are a registered property owner in the City of Nanaimo, you can participate in our tree voucher program. This means you can purchase a tree to plant on your property for a reduced cost of $25 each. 

Guidelines

• Must be a registered property owner in the City of Nanaimo;
• Property owners are limited to 2 vouchers per year;
• Not redeemable for cash;
• Redemption value not to exceed $90.00;
  
• Vouchers are not to be used to fulfill Tree Removal or Building Permit Requirements.
• All sales are final once vouchers are redeemed.

Voucher Tree Parameters

1. The trees can be either deciduous, evergreen, coniferous or fruit and nut trees and are required to achieve a diameter of 6cm or greater and height of 4.5m or greater at maturity.
2. Non-accepted Trees / Other:  Hedges, palm tree varieties, invasive tree species (e.g. English holly or English hawthorn), dwarf trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, standards, weeping varieties, espalier varieties (including espalier fruit trees) or other garden products are not accepted.
3. Western red cedar is not recommended (unless there is a good irrigation system in place) as this species does not do well over extended drought conditions. Leyland cypress can be utilized as an alternative to cedar as it is a hardy species tolerant to a range of environmental conditions (just not in hedge form).  Arbutus trees are also not  recommended as they have a notoriously high mortality rate when planted from a pot.
4. The nursery would have the best idea as to species suitability for your specific site conditions.

Steps to Receive a Tree Voucher

• Apply for the voucher using the form below;
• Your application will be sent to a monitored email inbox;
• You will be contacted once your application has been reviewed and confirmed with payment options;
• Once payment has been received/processed, we will send you a purchase confirmation email with a voucher number, access code and instructions to pick up your new tree. (Please give the garden centre 2 business days (from the date of your purchase confirmation email) to input your approved voucher before arriving to pick up your new tree).
• Please be advised, that as of March 1, 2024, any Tree Vouchers purchased on or after this date, will have a 2 year expiry date from the date of purchase. If a voucher that is purchased after March 1, 2024 is unredeemed by the 2 year expiry date, the voucher will be automatically voided after two years and purchase cost refunded.
• Once a voucher application has been approved and applicant emailed for payment, an applicant has 90 days to submit payment. If payment is not received within 90 days, the tree voucher application will be cancelled.
• Please note, for any vouchers that were purchased in 2020 and 2021 which have not been redeemed to date, City staff will be following up with the purchaser to encourage the redemption of the voucher or to refund the purchase cost.

Payment Options

We are able to accept Visa, Mastercard and American Express for online payment of the Tree Vouchers ($25 each). 

Participating Garden Centres

• Green Thumb Garden Centre (directions)