Urban Forester

Job Summary:
**Service Area**: Public Services
**Department**: Parks
**Work Location**: Parks, 69 Marilyn Drive
**Work Mode**: In Person
**Job Type and Duration**: Permanent, Full Time Vacancy
**Number of Open Positions**: 1
**Salary Range**: $42.91 - $52.66 per hour
**Affiliation**: CUPE Local 973
**Posting Period**: January 23, 2026 to February 9, 2026 11:59 p.m.

**Why Join the City of Guelph?**

**What we offer**

We offer competitive wages and comprehensive benefits to meet the needs of our diverse employees. Many of our positions offer:

- Paid vacation days, increasing with years of service
- Paid personal days;
- Hybrid and flexible work arrangements;
- Defined benefit pension plan with OMERS, including 100-per-cent employer matching;
- Extended health and dental benefits, including Health Care Spending Account;
- Employee and Family Assistance Program;
- Parental leave top up program;
- Learning and development opportunities including tuition assistance
- Employee recognition programs.

Position Overview:
**Key duties and responsibilities**
- Provide technical expertise and strategic input to support the Urban Forest Management Plan and One Canopy Tree Planting Strategy.
- Administration and support of enforcement of the Private Land Tree Protection By-Law, including permit review, compliance monitoring, and promoting stewardship.
- Provide technical guidance and support for tree related matters including design review, inspections, assumption process, warranty and maintaining and updating Guelph’s Tree Technical manual.
- Participate in procuring and managing project consultants, including developing project Terms of Reference and deliverables.
- Oversee contractor performance and compliance for forestry-related services, including planting, maintenance, removals, and forest health treatments.
- Conduct site inspections and respond to service requests and citizen inquiries with professionalism and sound judgment.
- Coordinate consent and approvals related to work on city and boundary trees.
- Monitor forest health and coordinate data collection and analysis to identify emerging threats such as pests, diseases, and environmental stressors.
- Collaborate with internal departments and external stakeholders to integrate urban forestry into planning and development processes.
- Coordinate updates to the Urban Forest Study, Tree Technical Manual and development of new UFMP initiatives. This includes preparing and maintaining technical documentation, specifications, and supporting materials for associated programs and initiatives.
- Maintain and update the urban forest inventory, including species composition, spatial distribution, and condition assessments.
- Support tree-related communications and outreach, including public education and stewardship activities.
- Support tree-related communications including website updates, residential notification, and other tactics.
- Support technical and budgetary reporting to Senior Management Team, Council, and other internal and external stakeholders.
- Support emergency response efforts related to tree hazards and storm events.
- Perform other related duties as assigned.

**Qualifications and requirements**
- Membership in Ontario Professional Foresters Association and/or ISA Certified Arborist.
- Expertise in urban forest management, including policy implementation, and long term planning.
- Proficiency in contractor oversight, project management, and procurement processes.
- Experience developing, leading, and reporting on budgeting activities.
- Strong understanding of tree biology, site conditions, and ecological interactions.
- Advanced field skills in dendrology, tree risk assessment, and forest health diagnostics.
- Proficiency in GIS, database systems, and mobile data collection tools.
- Proven ability to develop technical documents, specifications, and operational plans.
- ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification, an asset.
- Ability to read construction plans and related reports and to evaluate the impact of proposed construction on regulated trees and natural areas.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- Collaborative, solution-oriented, and customer-focused approach.
- Knowledge of the Occupational Health & Safety Act and relevant municipal regulations.

**Hours of work**
35 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for meetings, community events, or storm response.

**How to apply**

**Hiring Process Transparency**

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