Serving Southern Vancouver Island
Certified Consulting Arborist in Greater Victoria & Saanich
Our ISA Certified Arborist provides consulting arborist services: the arborist reports, tree risk assessments and tree protection plans that tree permits and building projects need. We don't cut or prune trees. We assess and advise, and we refer the hands-on work to vetted local partners.
- Family owned
- Since 2014
- Clients served
- 3,000+
- Certified arborist
- ISA & TRAQ
- Fully insured
- WorkSafeBC
Who is Oakstead?
Oakstead Tree & Property Care is a family-owned arborist consulting company in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia (BC), serving Saanich, Victoria, the Saanich Peninsula and Cowichan Valley since 2014. Its ISA Certified Arborist assesses trees and sites, prepares arborist reports and permit support, and refers hands-on tree, lawn, landscape and property work to vetted local partners. Work follows ANSI A300 (the American National Standards Institute standard for tree care) and Canadian Landscape Standards. Estimates for a scope of work are free.
In plain words
Oakstead is a family-owned company in Brentwood Bay that has served Saanich, Victoria, the Saanich Peninsula and the Cowichan Valley since 2014. We check trees and sites and write reports; vetted local partners do the hands-on tree, lawn and property work. A tree permit report starts at $450 for one tree, plus GST.
What we do
Arborist reports
An arborist report assesses the trees on or near a site: their condition, their protection needs and how the planned work affects them.
Tree risk assessments (TRAQ)
A tree risk assessment rates how likely a tree is to fail and what harm that could cause.
Tree protection plans
A tree protection plan keeps protected trees healthy while a site is designed and built.
Tree management plans
A tree management plan lists the trees on a property.
Pre-purchase tree assessments
A pre-purchase tree assessment is an arborist's look at the trees on a property before you buy it.
Tree appraisals
A tree appraisal puts a money value on a tree.
Tree permits by municipality
Tree rules differ by municipality. Pick yours for a plain-language guide to its bylaw and permits.
- Central Saanich
- Colwood
- Cowichan Valley
- Duncan
- Esquimalt
- Highlands
- Juan de Fuca
- Langford
- Metchosin
- North Saanich
- Oak Bay
- Saanich
- Sidney
- Sooke
- Victoria
- View Royal
Who we help
Homeowners
Builders and developers
Stratas and property managers
Home buyers
Guides
Do I Need an Arborist Report? A Greater Victoria Guide
Do I need an arborist report? A 3-question flow and a table for tree removal, pruning, building permits and development in 16 local areas.
Is Garry Oak Protected? Rules Across the CRD
Garry oaks are protected at very small sizes in most CRD municipalities. Compare size thresholds, pruning limits and permit rules town by town.
Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) Explained for Builders and Owners
What a tree protection zone is, how it's sized, what's banned inside it, fencing, and how a project arborist keeps your build and your trees on track.
Published prices
- Site consultation (up to 1 hour, verbal advice)
- $225 per visit
- Tree permit report, one tree
- From $450 per report
- Tree risk assessment, TRAQ Level 1 (limited visual), single tree
- $425 for a single tree
- Tree protection plan or tree management plan (single lot, up to 5 trees)
- From $1,450 per plan
Our services
Arborist Consulting & Permits
Oakstead Tree & Property Care provides arborist consulting near Victoria, British Columbia (BC): ISA (International Society of Arboriculture) Certified, TRAQ (Tree Risk Assessment Qualification) qualified tree risk assessments, resistograph mapping, sonic tomography, Air Spading, arborist reports for permits, tree protection and management plans, inventories, appraisals and wildfire planning. The family-owned team in Brentwood Bay works with homeowners, developers, stratas and municipalities across the Saanich Peninsula, Greater Victoria and the Cowichan Valley.
See all 34 services in Arborist Consulting & Permits
Partner Referrals
Oakstead Tree & Property Care is an arborist consulting business. Our ISA Certified Arborist assesses trees and specifies the work, and vetted partner companies do the hands-on tree, landscape, property and construction work. We don't do the cutting, so we have no stake in whether a tree comes down, and we take no referral fee or commission from any partner. We share your details with a partner only if you agree.
How partner referrals work
Construction & Renovation Referrals
Construction and renovation work referred to CSC Current Solutions Contracting Inc.; architectural design, planning and drafting referred to Dot Cross Design.
About construction and renovation referrals
Popular services
Our long-term, science-based approach
We think about the future and plan for the long term. Climate change is happening all around us, and we work hard to find the right vegetation for you that will survive these changes — chosen for resilience during watering restrictions, value to wildlife and resistance to wildfire.
Our practices and treatments are based on science, professional standards (the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A300 tree care standard, and the Canadian Landscape Standards) and your long-term needs, delivered with good old-fashioned customer service and an honest work ethic.
Frequently asked questions
What areas does Oakstead serve?
Oakstead serves southern Vancouver Island, including Saanich, Central Saanich, Brentwood Bay, North Saanich, Sidney, Victoria and the wider Greater Victoria area, plus the Cowichan Valley and Duncan. The company is based at 7040 West Saanich Rd in Brentwood Bay.
Does Oakstead offer free estimates?
Yes. Estimates for a scope of work are free; the $225 site consultation is a separate paid advice visit. Call Oakstead at (250) 888-9222 or use the request form on our Get a Quote page. Oakstead responds to every estimate request, so you will not be left wondering whether your message was received.
Is Oakstead’s arborist certified?
Yes. Oakstead’s team is led by an ISA Certified Arborist and includes Arborist Technicians and Horticulturalists. Oakstead’s assessments and recommendations follow the ANSI A300 standards and the Canadian Landscape Standards, with treatments based on science and each property’s long-term needs. Its senior arborist, Jon Heinrichs, is an ISA Certified Arborist (ISA #PN9219A) and holds the ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ).
Is Oakstead insured and WorkSafeBC registered?
Yes. Oakstead Tree & Property Care is fully covered with liability and professional insurance and is registered with WorkSafeBC (British Columbia's workers' compensation agency), so homeowners, stratas and businesses in Greater Victoria and the Cowichan Valley can work with Oakstead with confidence.
Does Oakstead work with stratas, businesses and municipalities?
Yes. Along with homeowners, Oakstead works with stratas, commercial and industrial properties, and government clients. It provides arborist consulting, assessments and referrals for tree, landscape and property maintenance work. These clients are across the Saanich Peninsula, Greater Victoria and the Cowichan Valley.
Does Oakstead do hands-on tree and landscape work?
Oakstead’s ISA Certified Arborist assesses the trees or site and recommends the approach, and prepares any arborist report or permit support needed. Hands-on work such as pruning, removals, landscaping and maintenance is referred to vetted local partners. Oakstead performs its consulting services directly, including tree risk assessments, resistograph mapping and Air Spading.
Ready to talk to a Certified Arborist?
We respond to every request. Serving the Saanich Peninsula, Greater Victoria and the Cowichan Valley.