Trees and power lines
Maintaining reliability and safety
Trees and vegetation are important parts of our communities and yards, but if they’re left untrimmed, they can be a risk to you, our team and our electricity system.
Trees and branches are good conductors and only need to come close to a wire for electricity to arc, or 'jump' and cause a shock or a fire.
If a power line is damaged by a tree or branch, stay back and call 911.
Do not remove trees, branches or other debris from wires.
Non-emergency questions contact us at 403-514-3459, or treetrimming@enmax.com
ENMAX tree trimming program
Our tree trimming team is on the lookout for trees and branches that create hazards.
We actively identify neighbourhood trees and branches which are too close to overhead wires that create safety concerns or cause outages.
We also need a safe zone of one to three metres around electrical infrastructure. This means we will trim branches, shrubs or other vegetation to safely work on poles, wires, transformers or other electrical equipment.
We’ll let you know
You’ll receive a notification if we have identified a tree for trimming, or if branches/vegetation were removed for safety reasons.
It’s a three-year trim
Trees are trimmed to maintain a minimum one-metre clearance from our wires during three years of growth. Depending on a tree’s growth rate the amount removed could vary.
Removal required for safety
We do not compensate for, or replace trees, branches, or shrubs removed from safe zones near electrical equipment.
Trimming you're responsible for
Homeowners are responsible for trimming branches from private or non-ENMAX lines. These could be lines installed between a home and a garage or other structure. We recommend contacting a certified utility tree trimmer to do this work.
Unsure which lines are private?
Call or email our team:
403-514-3459
Certified utility tree trimmers
So the work is done safely while maintaining the tree’s health, ensure trimming is done by certified utility tree trimmers.
Tree planting guidelines
Choosing the correct location to plant your tree is a great first step to protecting the wires and electrical equipment around your home, avoiding outages and helping to keep you and your neighbours safe.
The closer trees or shrubs are to electrical poles and wires, the shorter and narrower they need to be. Trees that grow close to or over wires are a significant cause of damage and outages as well as posing a safety risk for you and your neighbours.
Local garden centres and tree farms can provide details on which trees would be a great choice for your yard.
Contact Utility Safety Partners to locate buried utilities on your property.
It’s free, fast (3 – 5 days) and is an important first step for staying safe.
Request a utility locate:
1-800-242-3447
Planting Distance Guide
If you’re planting a tree in a neighbourhood with overhead wires, use this guide to locate your tree safely.
Clearance zone: No trees or shrubs can be planted within one metre of the widest extension of electrical equipment.
Short zone (min. 1 metre from wires and poles)
Trees and shrubs up to two metres tall (e.g. hedges) can be planted in this zone.
Medium zone (min. 5 metres from wires and poles)
Tall zone (more than 10 metres from wires and poles)
Any height of tree is acceptable in this zone.