Queensway Streetscape
Did you know that Silva Cells' first monitored stormwater project was in Toronto in 2008? It proved the success of the system as an underground bioretention and tree-support solution. Read our case study to learn more.
Silva Cells act as a supportive foundation beneath pavements while creating space for large volumes of high-quality soil that trees need to grow, helping urban trees thrive in sidewalks, plazas, and streetscapes. We’ve been helping communities across Ontario grow healthier, longer-lived urban trees with Silva Cells for nearly two decades.
Our Silva Cells are manufactured in Midland, Ontario, putting production close to the communities where they’re installed. This means delivery timelines measured in hours, not weeks, helping teams stay on schedule and respond quickly to site needs. Local manufacturing also reduces reliance on overseas shipping, lowering transportation-related emissions and supporting project sustainability goals. Just as importantly, it keeps investment in Ontario — supporting local jobs, quality control, and hands-on oversight.
That local commitment carries through to our project track record. With more than 1,000 projects across the province, Silva Cells are a familiar and trusted solution for Ontario designers and municipalities. We’re passionate about building greener, more resilient cities and have spent years collaborating with landscape architects, engineers, contractors, and city staff to make that happen. Silva Cell has become the local go-to soil cell because it consistently delivers results where they matter most — on real Ontario streets and sites.
Ontario is at the forefront of green policy, prioritizing standards that support long-term sustainability, urban canopy growth, and climate resilience. A key driver of this in the GTA area is the Toronto Green Standard (TGS), which sets clear expectations for tree planting in new developments.
In today’s public realm projects, trees are expected to have access to 20–30 m³ of quality soil per tree
These targets reflect a simple reality: healthy, mature trees need real soil volume to deliver shade, stormwater management, and urban cooling benefits. For more than 15 years, Silva Cells have helped designers and municipalities meet these expectations in dense, hardscape-heavy environments. Instead of compromising tree size or soil quality, Silva Cells make it possible to place large volumes of uncompacted soil beneath sidewalks, plazas, and other hardscapes — aligning practical site constraints with Ontario’s forward-thinking standards.
How Silva Cells Deliver on Green Policy Requirements:
DeepRoot has become the trusted advisor for consultants across the region — thanks in part to our industry-leading service and specifications package.
Our Ontario sales team knows the region inside and out with decades of experience servicing the market. Mark Adamaley and Matt Ellis work closely with designers, engineers, and municipalities across Ontario, bringing practical insight into local standards, approvals, and construction realities. They’re accessible, responsive, and ready to support projects at any stage — from early design conversations to installation questions on site. Having helped put many successful projects in the ground across the province, they understand what it takes to turn green infrastructure goals into built results.
Reach out to them directly:
Nearly two decades ago, we recognized a growing challenge in cities: trees were expected to thrive in spaces that simply didn’t provide enough soil. Rather than accept small, struggling urban trees as the norm, we set out to create a better approach. The result was the Silva Cell — the first system designed specifically to provide large volumes of high-quality soil beneath pavements while supporting surface loads. Since bringing Silva Cell to market in the mid-2000s, we’ve helped shape how cities around the world think about soil, trees, and urban infrastructure.
What sets Silva Cell apart is how intentionally it’s designed for real projects and real site conditions. The system is modular, adaptable, and installer-friendly, making it easier to achieve the soil volumes today’s urban standards require without overcomplicating construction. Its design prioritizes soil performance, tree health, and long-term durability, while giving designers flexibility to work around utilities and tight urban footprints. Simply put, it’s a system built from the ground up to make successful urban trees more achievable.
What Sets Silva Cell Apart:
Silva Cell installation in Windsor, Ontario, shows off the field versatility of the system with spacing between units, utility accommodation, and cells running both parallel and perpendicular to one another
Soil. Stormwater. Sustainable Infrastructure.
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