Property

Yard Maintenance

Modern Keyboard with Blue Complaints Button

Monday to Friday
8:30am to 4:30pm
Call 905-546-2782 and press 1 to speak with a clerk

For complaints outside of these hours please call 905-546-2489

To report a property owner or occupant allowing the accumulation of waste, turfgrass to exceed a maximum height of 21cm, is growing prohibited noxious weeds, and/or contains graffiti on their property.

For urgent complaints of immediate health and safety concern, please call in your complaint instead of using the online form.

A row of houses with small front lawns, some grassed, some naturalized

Yard Maintenance By-Law

As part of the City of Hamilton’s five-year Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), Action 7.10 of the BAP directed staff to “Review and revise the Yard Maintenance By-law to clarify regulations related to naturalized areas of private yards”. At the October 21, 2025, Planning Committee meeting, the Yard Maintenance By-law 10-118 was amended to update private yard provisions and incorporate permissive language for naturalized gardens and clarify language on turfgrass species.

Your Responsibilities Under the Yard Maintenance By-law

The City of Hamilton’s Yard Maintenance By-law No. 10-118 requires all property owners and/or occupants to maintain the exterior of their properties, including vegetation, waste and graffiti by:

Keeping property free and clear of waste, inclusive of inoperative vehicles;
Ensuring that turfgrass and noxious weeds do not exceed 21cm in height; and
Keeping the exterior of property free of graffiti, including the interface of all buildings, structures, fences, walls, and vehicles on the property.

Consequences for Violations:

Failure to comply with the Yard Maintenance By-law may result in one or all of the following:

Issuance of a Notice to Comply (A “Notice to Comply” is a document provided to the property owner/occupant that identifies violations and gives direction on what actions need to be taken)
Charges of up to $10,000 under the Provincial Offences Act, in addition to other court proceedings necessary to obtain compliance
Fee for inspection costs added to your property taxes
The City remediating the yard maintenance violation and the costs being added to the property taxes

Property owners of vacant properties are responsible for ensuring it is in compliance with the Yard Maintenance By-law.

Vegetation

Waste

Graffiti

Drains

All private property within the urban boundary cultivating turfgrass lawns, are required to cut turfgrass to a maximum of 21cm or less (8 inches) in height.
All vegetation (meaning hedges, shrubs or plant material) is prohibited from overhanging the sidewalk, shoulder, or roadway.
Noxious Weeds are designated by Regulation 1096, under the Weed Control Act and enforced by Municipal Law Enforcement Officers under the Yard Maintenance By-law. To find the list of designated noxious weeds, visit the Weed Control Act, Regulation 1096.
All noxious weeds present on private property must be removed. If you require assistance with identifying noxious weeds on your property, there are resources identified below to assist you.

Resources for Identifying Noxious Weeds:

Weed Identification guide for Ontario crops: https://www.ontario.ca/document/weed-identification-guide-ontario-crops
Ontario Crop IPM – Weeds & Herbicides: https://cropipm.omafra.gov.on.ca/en-ca/weeds-and-herbicides
Ontario Invasive Plant Council: https://www.ontarioinvasiveplants.ca/invasive-plants/species/

Naturalized Areas

A naturalized area can generally be defined as an intentionally cultivated area in which a combination of native species of plants are deliberately implemented to produce ground cover and may consists of one or more species of wildflowers, annuals, perennials, shrubs and grasses or a combination of the above and is maintained by the owner or occupant.
Naturalized areas can consist of a combination of native plant species and non-invasive species of plants, shrubs, and trees in an area that thrive together. Naturalized areas are intentionally designed and maintained to directly support biodiversity by creating habitats and food sources for wildlife such as birds; pollinators, such as bees and butterflies; and other species that a turfgrass lawn does not. Over time, naturalized areas have a positive environmental impact by creating healthy ecosystems that, through management, require less watering and fertilization efforts.
The City of Hamilton is in the process of developing a comprehensive resource page for naturalized areas. This page will be updated with more information when available.

Every owner or occupant must keep their property, inclusive of the boulevard adjacent to your property, free and clear of all waste.

Waste means a substance or material that is unusable or unwanted and includes but is not limited to:

animal feces;
broken or discarded material;
disconnected appliances and parts of such appliances;
firewood not stacked neatly;
indoor furniture;
inoperative machinery, inoperative vehicles, parts of such machinery not packaged for immediate shipment or parts of vehicles not packaged for immediate shipment;
material resulting from construction, demolition, repair or renovation projects;
piping, ducting, tubing, conduits, cable, wire and fittings or related accessories not packaged for immediate shipment;
torn or cut twigs or branches;
waste lumber;
Waste bins must be stored at the side or rear of your property. Bins should be in a good condition without holes or able to spill, made of rigid, watertight construction, with a tight-fitting cover that can be removed to be emptied or loaded; and
Waste shall not be allowed to accumulate on private property for longer than 10 days.

Property owners may have a maximum of 2 compost heaps:

up to a maximum size of 1m3;
must be located at least 1m from any property line; and
must be enclosed on all sides by concrete blocks, a lumber structure, a metal frame, or a commercial plastic compost container.

Graffiti means any words, figures, letters, numbers or drawings sprayed, scribbled, scratched, etched or otherwise applied on a surface.
Every owner or occupant must keep their property exterior, including building, structure, erection or object on their property of graffiti, except if the prior written authority of the owner of occupant of the property.
To learn more about graffiti or to report graffiti, please visit the Reporting Graffiti page

Property owners must keep private drains operational and in repair, without obstruction.
To learn more about Lot Grading and Drainage visit the Lot Grading and Drainage page.

What does turfgrass mean under the By-law?

Turfgrass is considered ground cover of various perennial grasses grown for lawns, that form a dense uniform turf if mowed.

What are noxious weeds?

Generally, a noxious weed is a species designated as such under the Weed Control Act that: is difficult to manage on agricultural land once established and will reduce the yield and quality of the crop being grown, negatively affects the health and well-being of livestock, poses a risk to the health and well-being of agricultural workers.

List of noxious weeds: https://www.ontario.ca/page/noxious-weeds-ontario

Is a naturalized yard allowed?

Yes, naturalized yards are permitted under the Yard Maintenance By-law and encouraged.

A naturalized area is generally an intentionally cultivated area in which a combination of native species of plants are deliberately implemented to produce ground cover and can consist of one or more species of wildflowers, annuals, perennials, shrubs and grasses.

What is an inoperative vehicle and what does the Yard Maintenance By-law say about inoperative vehicles?

An inoperative vehicle generally means a motor vehicle that may not be lawfully operated on a highway as it has missing, broken, incomplete, decayed, or damaged parts or components, or it is in a derelict condition.

The Yard Maintenance By-law considers an inoperative vehicle under the definition of waste and all property owners must ensure that they keep their property free and clear of all waste.

Is loose litter a violation of Yard Maintenance By-law?

Yes, loose litter is a violation under the Yard Maintenance By-law and you should ensure that your property is free and clear of loose litter.

loose waste should be cleaned up, as it is a violation under the Yard and your property must remain clear of garbage and debris inclusive of any loose litter.

How do I report illegal dumping?

Illegal dumping is defined as the improper depositing of waste material in non-designated, publicly owned areas, such as ditches, public litter bins, public property, public roads, rural areas, vacant lots, etc.

For more information or to report illegal dumping, you can call 905-546-2489 or submit a complaint online.

What will happen if I don’t comply with a Yard Maintenance Order?

Non-compliance with an issued Yard Maintenance Order may result in any or all of the following if no remedial steps are taken by the property owner:

Charges up to $10,000 under the Provincial Offences Act, in addition to other court proceedings necessary to obtain compliance.
Fee for inspection costs added to your property taxes.
The City removing the yard maintenance violation and the costs being added to the property taxes.

What happens if there is repeated non-compliance with a Yard Maintenance Order?

An issued Yard Maintenance Order is valid for a period of 1 year. Should you receive a secondary infraction under the Yard Maintenance By-law for the same offence, all subsequent violations within the 1-year period may result in immediate fees for service, issuance of Administrative Penalty Notices or Provincial Offences Notices (PONs) and the potential cost of a City contractor remediating a violation being applied to the property tax roll.

I own a rental property, how does the Yard Maintenance By-law apply to me?

When a property is deemed a rental property, it is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure their property complies with all City by-laws. Rental properties must adhere to the requirements of the Yard Maintenance By-law at all times.

I own a vacant building, how does the Yard Maintnenance By-law apply to me?

For a building to be considered vacant, it needs to be unoccupied for more than 30 consecutive days. As a vacant building owner it is your responsibility to comply with all property use by-laws, regulations and statutes. For more information on Vacant Building requirements, please visit the Vacant Buildings Registry page.

Date modified

September 17, 2026