Toronto backyard privacy guide
Cedar Hedge vs Privacy Fence in Toronto: Cost, Privacy and Maintenance
Both can make a yard feel private, but they solve different problems. Compare real cedar planting math with published Toronto fence estimates, then decide what matters most in your yard.
Published September 29, 2026 · Updated September 29, 2026
The short answer
Choose based on the privacy you need today
A solid privacy fence is the clearer choice when you need a continuous visual barrier right away or a physical enclosure. Emerald Cedars make a softer, living screen, but even tall trees can leave gaps at first. A hedge also needs water and space to grow.
For a 30 foot run, an illustrative row of eleven 6 to 7 foot Emerald Cedars costs $1,375 for trees and standard planting before HST and extras at NorthCedar’s listed prices. Published Toronto fence ranges for the same length are $1,200 to $2,100 for pressure treated wood and $1,350 to $2,550 for a cedar wood fence. These are planning figures from different providers, not equivalent quotes or a guarantee that a hedge will be cheaper. The full method is below.
Cedar hedge or fence: the practical differences
Here, “cedar hedge” means living Emerald Cedar trees. “Cedar fence” means a fence built from cedar lumber. They are different products despite sharing a name.
| What matters | Emerald Cedar hedge | Solid wood privacy fence |
|---|---|---|
| Privacy on installation day | Screening depends on tree height and visible gaps between plants | A solid board design screens its full height immediately |
| Ongoing care | Water during establishment, then monitor health and trim when needed | Inspect boards and posts; clean or refinish as the material requires |
| Space | Needs a planting bed and access to both sides for care | Uses a narrower footprint but posts need suitable ground |
| Appearance | Living greenery that changes and grows with the yard | A fixed architectural boundary with a chosen finish |
| Boundary use | Not a secure enclosure for pets or a pool | Can provide a physical barrier when properly designed and compliant |
2026 Toronto planning examples
What does a cedar hedge cost compared with a fence?
NorthCedar lists a 6 to 7 foot Emerald Cedar at $85 and standard planting at $40 per tree. At an illustrative spacing of 3 feet with a tree at each end, a 30 foot run takes 11 trees and a 60 foot run takes 21. That makes the cedar planting subtotal $125 per tree. The exact count depends on the usable length, the actual plants and the site.
HomeStars lists Toronto installed fence ranges of $40 to $70 per foot for pressure treated wood and $45 to $85 per foot for cedar wood. Multiplying those ranges by the same run length gives the comparison below. A solid fence delivers continuous privacy sooner; the hedge figures should never be read as the price for the same immediate result.
| Run | Cedars at 3 foot centres | NorthCedar tree and planting subtotal | Pressure treated fence estimate | Cedar wood fence estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 feet | 11 | $1,375 | $1,200 to $2,100 | $1,350 to $2,550 |
| 60 feet | 21 | $2,625 | $2,400 to $4,200 | $2,700 to $5,100 |
Method and limits: hedge totals are tree price plus standard planting only, before HST, using NorthCedar’s listed September 2026 prices. Tree prices may vary with availability and season. These totals exclude delivery where applicable, removal, soil work, mulch, irrigation and optional warranty. Fence figures are indicative third party installed ranges published by HomeStars in August 2026; its tax treatment and your contractor’s inclusions may differ. Ask for written quotes with the same run length, height, access and scope before deciding.
Which gives better privacy?
Living cedar screen
Taller trees can screen a seated patio from day one, but the pointed tops and spaces between trees can leave sightlines. Height, spacing, sun and healthy growth shape how quickly the hedge fills in. See our Emerald Cedar size guide and Ontario growth guide.
Solid wood fence
A solid board design blocks the view immediately across its built height. It is also a defined physical boundary. Board gaps, slopes, gates and the permitted height affect the finished result, so ask the installer exactly what will be built.
A fence and a hedge can work together if the yard has enough width. The fence provides immediate enclosure; cedars soften the view and add greenery. Leave access to maintain both and check that the planting location has enough light and root space.
What will you maintain after installation?
A cedar hedge
New cedars need regular soil checks and careful watering while roots establish. Once established, plan for occasional shaping, checking for gaps or browning, and winter exposure near salt and wind. Skipping aftercare can make an initially affordable hedge costly to repair.
Start with the cedar watering guide, then see the Ontario trimming guide and winter care checklist.
A wood fence
Check for loose boards, leaning posts and ground contact. Cleaning and finishing needs vary by species, treatment and the look you want. Ask the fence installer what maintenance is required for the proposed material and what their warranty covers.
A fence does not need irrigation or trimming. It also will not grow taller or fill a sightline above its built height.
Space, boundaries and Toronto rules
A hedge needs a bed wide enough for its mature foliage, workable soil, light, drainage and access for watering and trimming. A fence uses less planting space, but posts, slopes and access can change installation costs. If you have a narrow side yard, measure the usable width before choosing trees.
Toronto’s fence rules depend on location, height and use. The City says some hedges and shrubs acting as barriers can also be treated as fences, and visibility rules apply near driveways. Do not assume a hedge can ignore a fence height or sightline rule. Check the current City of Toronto fence guidance for your exact location and ask the municipality for a property outside Toronto.
Both tree planting and fence post digging require care around buried services. Ontario One Call says to request public utility locates before digging. Confirm the property line and any private services separately.
Which one fits your yard?
Choose a fence if
You need a continuous screen now, a defined physical barrier, or have little room for a planting bed.
Choose a hedge if
You want living greenery, can give the plants space and light, and are comfortable with first year watering and gradual fill.
Consider both if
You need immediate enclosure but want to soften the view, and have space to maintain the fence and hedge.
Measure first
Confirm usable run length, desired height, sun, drainage, access and boundary before comparing written quotes.
Cedar hedge vs fence questions
Is a cedar hedge cheaper than a privacy fence in Toronto?
It can have a lower initial installed subtotal in some examples, but the result depends on tree size, spacing, delivery, site work and the fence design. Tree prices can vary by availability and season. A hedge also does not give the same solid screen on planting day. Compare actual quotes for the same length and privacy goal.
Does a cedar hedge give immediate privacy?
Tall Emerald Cedars can block much of the view as soon as they are planted, but spaces between trees may remain visible until the foliage grows together. A solid board fence blocks views across its full height as soon as it is installed.
Which needs more maintenance, a cedar hedge or a wood fence?
A new hedge needs careful watering while its roots establish, then occasional trimming and checks for dry soil, salt or damaged trees. A wood fence needs inspection for loose boards and posts and may need cleaning or refinishing depending on its material and finish.
Can I plant a cedar hedge beside an existing fence?
Often yes, if the bed has enough light, root space, drainage and room to reach both the hedge and the fence for maintenance. Check the boundary and arrange underground utility locates before digging.
Plan your cedar hedge
If a living screen suits your yard, these guides help turn the comparison into a planting plan.
Pricing sources and method
- NorthCedar pricing for Emerald Cedar trees and standard planting. Prices checked September 29, 2026.
- HomeStars Toronto fence cost guide, updated August 21, 2026, for indicative installed wood fence ranges. NorthCedar does not sell or install fences.
- City of Toronto fence guidance and Ontario One Call homeowner guidance for site planning before digging.
The three images on this page are generated illustrations of the options, not photographs of NorthCedar installations or fence projects. Actual prices, tree availability and property conditions can change.
Considering an Emerald Cedar hedge?
NorthCedar supplies and plants Emerald Cedars across Toronto and the GTA. Send us the length of your planting area, preferred height, location and a few site photos. We can estimate a suitable tree count and planting quote.