Arborist (ISA)

Oak Bay Parks, Recreation & Culture; Oak Bay; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension Plan

Extended Health coverage

Dental coverage

Vacation

Sick entitlement

Staff facility pass

Job summary

Oak Bay Parks, Recreation & Culture is seeking an Arborist (ISA) to maintain Oak Bay’s urban forest through hazard assessment and tree health monitoring. The role involves supervising staff, performing pruning, removals, planting, and other arboricultural tasks while ensuring safety and regulatory compliance.

The position offers municipal benefits including pension, extended health and dental coverage, vacation, and sick time, with a union full-time status.

Qualifications

• Diploma in Arboriculture or related field with 2 years of related experience.
• ISA certification or equivalent.
• BC Pesticide Applicator's Certificate.
• Certified Tree Risk Assessor.
• Valid BC Driver's License.
• OFA Level 1 certification.
• Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening.

Responsibilities

• Participate in park operations applying arboricultural techniques for natural system and tree management, including hazard control and invasive species management.
• Perform skilled arboriculture tasks: planting, fertilizing, pruning, climbing, removals, limbing, brush chipping, and cleanup.
• Monitor tree health and safety, responding to hazards and emergencies as required.
• Lead and coordinate the work of parks staff and collaborate with other departments.
• Assess construction and utility impacts on trees and recommend mitigation measures.
• Respond to public inquiries, maintain tree inventories, and support preventive maintenance programs.
• Ensure safety compliance, follow best practices, and maintain tools and equipment.

Skills

Hazard assessment

Tree health monitoring

Team supervision

Pruning & tree work

Horticultural knowledge

Education

Diploma in Arboriculture, Urban Forestry, Plant Sciences, Horticulture or related discipline

ISA certification or equivalent

British Columbia Pesticide Applicator's Certificate

Certified Tree Risk Assessor

Valid BC Driver's License

OFA Level 1 certification

Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening

Job description

Arborist (ISA)

Posting #PRC2026-85

Oak Bay Parks, Recreation and Culture is seeking a creative and knowledgeable individual to join the Parks team as an Arborist (ISA). This is technical work maintaining Oak Bay’s urban forest of indigenous and ornamental trees by carrying out the assessment, evaluation and rating of trees for hazard, retention potential and recommending species/varieties for suitability. The Arborist (ISA) periodically supervises job site skilled and semi-skilled employees in a number of tasks involving tree work such as pruning, hazard tree removals, tree planting and transporting, transplanting, watering, fertilizing, trimming of hedges and spraying as required. Oak Bay Parks, Recreation and Culture offers a fantastic Municipal Benefits package which includes Pension Plan, Health and Dental coverage, vacation, and sick time entitlement. Other benefits include a Staff facility pass that provides access to our fitness centres, drop-in fitness classes, pool, and skating rink. We acknowledge and respect that the District of Oak Bay lies in the traditional territory of the lək̓ʷəŋən people, known today as the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations, and that their historic connections to these lands continue to this day.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Participate in park operational functions including the application of accepted horticultural and/or arboricultural techniques and strategies for natural system and tree management including invasive plant control, natural area restoration, tree maintenance and pruning, and integrated pest management.


• Performs a variety of skilled arboriculture tasks such as planting, fertilizing, pruning, climbing and guying trees, tree removals, limbing, bucking, brush chipping or clean up;


• Monitors tree health and safety, responding to hazards and emergency situations as required.


• Leads and coordinates the work of parks staff and collaborates with other departments.


• Assesses impacts of construction and utility work on trees and recommends mitigation measures.


• Responds to public inquiries, maintains tree inventories, and supports preventive maintenance programs.


• Ensures compliance with safety regulations, follows best practices, and maintains tools and equipment.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Diploma in Arboriculture, Urban Forestry, Plant Sciences, Horticulture or related discipline and 2 years related experience.


• Completion of chain saw safety and Electrical Safety and Knowing your Approaches courses.


• International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certification or equivalent.


• British Columbia Pesticide Applicator's Certificate.


• Certified Tree Risk Assessor.


• Valid BC Drivers License.


• Current OFA-Level 1 certification.


• Provision of a current Police Information Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening (Note: This is the applicant’s financial responsibility to obtain this).

HOURS OF WORK

Monday to Friday, eight (8) hours per day scheduled between 6:00 am and 4:30 pm, subject to operational requirements. It is anticipated that the regular hours of work for the majority of the year will be 7:00 am to 3:30 pm.

LOCATION(S)

Parks

RATE

$40.78/hr

STATUS

Full-Time (This is a union position)

BENEFITS

• Municipal Benefits include Pension Plan, Extended Health & Dental coverage, vacation, and sick entitlement.


• Staff Membership to drop-in the weightroom, fitness classes, skating, and pool