Fences stop at the height the by-law allows. Planting is how you get privacy above that line without building anything.
Cedar hedge
The default for good reason: evergreen, dense, tolerant of shearing, and available in sizes that give an instant result. Needs water for the first two seasons and hates road salt, so keep it off the driveway edge.
Columnar trees
Where the strip is narrow, upright varieties give height without spreading into the neighbour. Slower to fill than cedar but far less maintenance once established.
Layered screens
A single row reads as a wall. A staggered double row, or a mix of evergreen and deciduous, screens better, looks intentional and survives losing one plant.
What to avoid
Anything that grows fast and weak. Fast growth is usually a trade against lifespan, wind resistance and root behaviour near foundations and services.
Check the mature width before planting, not the pot size. Most privacy hedges in the GTA are planted twice because the first row was spaced for the nursery pot.
Read next
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Cost, timing, water and which one actually gives a better lawn in the long run.
ReadWhat to plant along a driveway that gets salted
The strip nobody can keep alive, and the plants that actually tolerate it.
ReadFree estimate
Planning something like this?
Send the address and a photo, or call or text 647-621-8592.