After a removal permit and a tree crew, the stump is the last piece. In Oakville it is also the piece where things go wrong, because the lots with big trees tend to have other big trees close by. Here is what grinding costs, how close is too close, and what to do with the hole.
2026 stump grinding prices in Oakville
| Stump width at ground level | Grinding price (2026) |
|---|---|
| Under 30 cm (about 12 in) | $120 - $220 |
| 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in) | $200 - $350 |
| Over 60 cm (24 in and up) | $350 - $800 |
| Haul away the grindings and fill with topsoil | $150 - $500 extra |
All prices are per stump, measured across the cut at ground level including the root flare. Large oak and maple stumps on older lots in Old Oakville, Bronte and Eastlake are often over 60 cm and very hard, which puts them at the top of the range. Fenced backyards in Glen Abbey, River Oaks and north Oakville usually need a compact grinder, which fits most gates around 90 cm wide. Grouping stumps into one visit lowers the price of each, and a stump with long surface roots across the lawn is quoted separately.
Grinding near protected trees
Oakville's Private Tree Protection By-law 2017-038 regulates injuring trees, not just removing them, and roots are part of the tree. A grinder chasing surface roots toward a neighbour's maple, or a healthy tree on your own lot, can injure it badly. The Town's private tree protection procedure sets out Tree Protection Zones, the area around a trunk to protect during work under a Town permit:
| Trunk diameter of the tree to protect | Protection zone from the trunk |
|---|---|
| Under 10 cm | 1.8 m |
| 10 to 30 cm | 2.4 m |
| 31 to 50 cm | 3.0 m |
| 51 to 60 cm | 3.6 m |
| 61 to 70 cm | 4.2 m |
| 71 to 80 cm | 4.8 m |
| 81 to 90 cm | 5.4 m |
Those distances are written for construction projects, but they are a sensible rule for stump work too. If the stump is inside another tree's zone, we grind only the stump itself, leave roots that might be shared, and keep the machine's wheels on plywood to avoid compacting the soil. If a stump sits right on the property line, the tree was jointly owned under Ontario's Forestry Act, so agree with your neighbour before grinding it out.
Stumps on Town land
Some Town trees grow on Town property on the house side of the sidewalk. If the tree was the Town's, so is the stump, and you should not grind it yourself or hire someone to. Call ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601 to ask when it will be removed.
Locates before any grinding
Ontario law requires locates before digging, and a grinder goes 20 to 30 cm below grade. Requests go through Ontario Dig Authority (formerly Ontario One Call); the service is free, and you should allow about five business days. We book it as part of the job.
Public locates do not mark privately owned lines. Many Oakville homes have sprinkler systems, landscape lighting, a gas line to an outdoor kitchen or fire table, or power to a detached garage. Tell us what is on the property. A sprinkler line through a lawn is the most common thing we find next to a stump, and we hand-dig to find it before grinding.
Replacement trees and the stump
If you removed a private tree under an Oakville permit, you were probably required to plant replacements, one for every 10 cm of trunk diameter of a healthy tree. Do not plant a replacement in the old stump hole. Rotting roots and wood chips make poor soil and the ground keeps settling. Plant a metre or two away, in native soil, and grind the stump first so the area is level and easy to mow around.
What to do with the hole
- Rake out most of the grindings. A thin layer mixed into the soil is fine; a deep pocket of chips sinks and starves grass of nitrogen as it breaks down.
- Use the chips as mulch on beds or around shrubs, kept a few centimetres off the stems.
- Fill with screened topsoil slightly above grade, firm it, and expect to top it up the following spring.
- Seed from mid-August to late September for the best results, or lay sod any time the ground is not frozen. Our Oakville sod page covers larger areas.
Grinding vs digging the stump out
Digging out a stump and its root ball takes an excavator, and it leaves a hole the size of a hot tub and a lot of soil to haul. It costs several times more than grinding. For lawns, garden beds and most patios, grinding is enough. For a new addition, pool or footings, the engineer or builder will usually want the root ball gone, so tell us at the quote stage.
What a stump grinding quote should include
- Each stump and its measured width
- Depth of grinding, and whether surface roots are included
- How nearby protected trees will be protected
- Who books the locate, and how private lines will be found
- Cleanup: chips piled, left or hauled, and whether topsoil and seed are included
- Insurance and WSIB coverage
Where we grind stumps in Oakville
Old Oakville, Bronte, Eastlake, Morrison, Clearview, Glen Abbey, River Oaks, West Oak Trails, Joshua Creek, Palermo and north Oakville. If the tree is still standing, see Oakville tree removal for the permit and fees.
Frequently asked questions
How much does stump grinding cost in Oakville?
About $120 to $220 for a stump under 30 cm, $200 to $350 for 30 to 60 cm and $350 to $800 above that, with $150 to $500 extra to haul grindings and add topsoil.
Do I need a permit to grind a stump in Oakville?
No. The by-law covers living trees. Avoid injuring the roots of protected trees nearby, and get your neighbour's agreement for a stump on the line.
How close can you grind to another tree?
Use the Town's protection zones as a guide: 2.4 m for a tree 10 to 30 cm across, 3.0 m for 31 to 50 cm, rising to 5.4 m at 81 to 90 cm.
Who removes a stump from a Town tree?
The Town. Do not grind it yourself. Call ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601.
Do I need a locate for stump grinding?
Yes. Locates through Ontario Dig Authority are free and legally required. Private lines such as sprinklers and lighting are not marked.
Can I plant a replacement tree where the stump was?
Better not. Plant a metre or two away in native soil, where roots establish faster and the ground will not settle.