Chicken Backyard in Canadian Cities

This report addresses the benefits and concerns of keeping chicken within the limits of the city. It encompasses the views in favor of keeping the chicken within the city, potential issues and concerns, acts and or legislation which might be influencing the information in this report, information on relevant political and community views and the possible solutions or recommendations.

Running head: CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 1
Chicken Backyard in Canadian Cities
Name
Institution

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 2
CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES
Executive Summary
This report is made following the Council’s resolution, “staff provide Council with a report regarding the keeping of chickens
within the city and prepare a draft bylaw” .It is upon this resolution that I have been engaged with the creation and submission of
report to the staff. The report is directed to the Council and it will mainly address the benefits and concerns about keeping chicken
within the limits of the city. The report encompasses the views in favor of the keeping the chicken within the city, potential issues and
concerns, acts and or legislation which might be influencing the information in this report, information on relevant political and
community views and the possible solutions or recommendations.

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 3
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................................................................................2
Introduction..................................................................................................................................................................................................3
Discussion....................................................................................................................................................................................................3
The views in favor of keeping chickens within the city..........................................................................................................................3
Potential issues and concerns...................................................................................................................................................................5
Acts and/or legislation that could be influencing your information report..............................................................................................6
Information on relevant political and community views.........................................................................................................................6
Possible solutions or recommendations...................................................................................................................................................7
References....................................................................................................................................................................................................8
Appendix A: Comparative Chart of Urban Chicken Bylaws....................................................................................................................11

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 4
Introduction
Keeping chicken is in Canadian cities is a bylaw issue which is governed at the level of municipal. Even though certain
Canadian cities are already legalizing or at least adopting strict rules around the backyard flocks, there are not that several willing to
let one grow his own eggs. The cities that allow chicken in Canada include Newmarket, Kingston, Niagara Falls, Guelph, Montreal
(some parts), Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria and Kitchener (Scrivener, Leslie, 2008).
Discussion
The views in favor of keeping chickens within the city
Backyard chicken proponents believe that in a major pros of keeping chicken as “a natural choice”. They believe that there is
nothing cheaper and healthier than raising egg-laying chickens. They believe that chicken always lay eggs all time and hence if one is
feeding a family of 6, he would have a source of eggs which were fresh, healthy as well as right on his doorstep. The proponents
believe that the biggest benefit of having hens in the backyard is the fresh eggs they produce. Averagely, a hen can give an egg each

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 5
day. Three hens will produce around 91 dozens per year. TC holds that eggs remain “far superior” to those in commercial stores. They
argue that one will get more omega-3-fatty acids and more vitamin A since hens are outside and get enough sun and one get vitamin D
from eggs they would otherwise not get (City of Gatineau, 2005). Waterloo Hen Association holds that chickens remain
environmentally friendly. They argue for great educational and environmental benefits of having chicken backyards. Keeping hens is
environmentally a lot of less wasteful as indicated by TC (who runs, torontochickens.com website).
TC hold that they used to buy eggs and would have to drive to store to pick up a dozen o even 2 eggs and cartons would as go
in their blue box. The following week they would go shopping again and would have additional cartons. They are productive and
provide eggs for personal consumption and fertilizer for gardens. Halifax Chickens adds that eggs laid by these backyard chickens stay
free of pesticides and antibiotics utilized in commercial chicken farming. They argue that it is imperative for children to grow up
knowing where food comes from. Moreover, supporters further argue that chicken eat table scraps and hence reduce solid municipal
waste. Chicken also produce waste that can be used as fertilizer hence eliminating the need for commercial fertilizer. Proponents
further argues that backyard chicken save money. They (Waterloo Hen Association) argue that as the prices of food surges, individual
are resorting to affordable means of feeding themselves. People who keep chickens do not have to fork more than four dollars for the
free-range eggs sold at the supermarket.

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 6
Potential issues and concerns
The opponents seen various cons, “a smelly mess, rats” a common concern attributed to keeping backyard chicken. Several
residents who neighbor people with backyard chickens are never as keen on the idea of backyard chickens keeping. Their main
concern is that additional animals including raccoons, mice or rats are often drawn to their feed. Many have wound up with rats in
their respective basement when their neighbors keep chickens. This is because once the kitchen has left the neighborhood, the rats
shortly afterwards vanished as well. Chicken also comes with noise and hence causing distractions to their neighbors. Whereas one or
two chickens are never extremely noisy, twenty chickens-the quantity which is always permitted under city bylaws-are capable of
making a ruckus. Whereas the crowing of a rooster at the rising sun remains a quaint when visiting the firm, it is never so lovely when
it wakes in the city or urban family every day.
The other key concern is the mess. Not everyone would manage to keep their coop clean always. The chicken coops remains
extremely smelly. Besides the smell, public health officials are worried about the ability of spreading diseases that can take place if a
chicken carcasses or feces are improperly disposed. Salmonella bacterium can be passed from a chicken to human if the individual
comes in contact with the chicken feces or even it’s the eggs that are infected already. Also, the spread of avian flu is an issue or
concern attributed to backyard chicken (City of Waterloo Finance and Strategic Planning Committee, 2009). As seen in the pandemic

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 7
of 2005, the avian flu spread around the world and clearly demonstrated how the virus can spread easily via human and bird contact.
WHO holds that avian virus attacks respiratory system and had caused 241 deaths between years 2003 and 2008 globally.
Acts and/or legislation that could be influencing your information report
The rules relating to the backyard chickens range across the county with solely a few major cities in Canada permitting such
rules. One can legally keep chickens in his yard in Vancouver, Kelowna, Montreal, Surrey, Moncton, Gatineau and Whitehorse.
Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Regina, Halifax, Winnipeg and Saskatoon still ban the idea. Most bylaws that permit chickens to be kept
need particular distance between placements of the coop with regards to property line of the neighbor and many refer to keeping hens,
not roosters, under the general terms, “chickens.” Other municipalities further require a permit if one wishes to keep chickens in his
yard (Vancouver Social Policy Planning Council, 2009).
Information on relevant political and community views
The Barrie politicians in 2016 refused to hatch backyard chicken scheme. Indeed, the Barrie’ committee services successfully
voted against allowing backyard hens in their residential areas. In this city, the concept of backyard hens has been put back in the coop
following the vote against the idea by the community services committee and halting the issue. To the surprise of the committee,
solely a handful of individual were in attendance to share their views on permitting hens in the residential zones. Various Simcoe

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 8
County municipalities have addressed the issue including Orillia, and Innisfil. The Clearview Township had approved the concept
hence allowing the chickens in the urban regions (City of Ottawa, 2003).
Possible solutions or recommendations
Raising chickens in the city has become an inevitability in most of the Canadian Cities due to more benefit packages it comes
with. While it might be illegal in one City, urban chicken farming is catching on in many other major Canadian Cities. The trends is
sprouting up in Canadian cities and the best solution is one that allows it but based on best bylaws to ensure above-mentioned
concerns are curtailed (City of Halifax, 2008).
The success of chicken backyard in many Lower Mainland suburbs should be the pointer towards the need to allow keeping of
chickens in the cities. It is presently legal to raise chickens in Victoria with the works ongoing in Toronto, and Calgary through
organized advocacy groups that try to influence the regulations by municipals. For example, the “Calgary Cluck” is organized via
Facebook to support the need to allow chickens in the cities as it is a civil right to have such eggs (Young, Carolyn, 2008).
It is recommended that many people should come out and lobby their local governments to enact effective bylaws to allow
backyard chicken, whereas putting in place rules that efficiently limit their quantities to make sure they are raised as well and handled
properly.

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References
City of Gatineau (2005). “Concernant la garde, le controle et le soin des animaux dans les limites de la ville du Gatineau”
www.gatineau.ca/servicesenligne/doc-web/masson/documents/pdf/183-2005.pdf.
City of Halifax (December 2008) “Information Report on the Keeping of Fowl.”
City of Ottawa (2003). “Respecting Animal Care and Control By-law No. 2003 – 77”
www.ottawa.ca/residents/bylaw/a_z/acc_en.html.

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City of Waterloo Finance and Strategic Planning Committee (March 9, 2009). “CORP/CLK 08-060 Animal Control Bylaw”.
www.city.waterloo.on.ca/Portals/57ad7180-c5e7-49f5-b282-c6475cdb7ee7/
CS_CLERKS_Minutes_2009/20090309_Packet_Finance_and_Strategic_Planning_Committee_Meeting.pdf
Glebe Community Association (2009). “Minutes: January 2009” www.glebeca.ca/about/jan_09_minutes.pdf.
Hutchinson, Brian (March 13, 2009). “Urban Agriculture, backyard chicken coops cause flap in Vancouver”. National Post.
www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1387549
Roberts, Paul (2008). The End of Food. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, New York.

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Scrivener, Leslie (May 4, 2008), “Poultry in Motion: Chickens Adopting Urban Lifestyle”. The Toronto Star.
www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/421205.
Vancouver Social Policy Planning Council (March 2009). “Food Policy: Backyard Chickens”.
http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/socialplanning/initiatives/foodpolicy/projects/chickens.htm.
Young, Carolyn (2008). “Urban Chicken Bylaws in the General Toronto Area: A Review of Current Regulations and
Recommendations for Potential Bylaw Changes” unpublished Master’s paper, York University and Farm Start, Ontario.

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Appendix A: Comparative Chart of Urban Chicken Bylaws
Municipality and
Bylaw
Number of
chickens
Lot requirements Refuse Other Local Contact
Brampton
(261-93)
No more than 2 “A building
structure, coop, pen
Buried or in air tight
containers
Feed in rodent proof
containers

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 13
or run”
No specification for
size
8m from other
building, 2m from
property boundary
till removed
Guelph
(“Exotic and Non-
domestic
Animals”)
(1985)-11952
Unspecified At least 50’ from
any school, church
or
dwelling house of
others
“Kept in pens, with
floors kept free
from standing
water”
Regularly cleaned
Farm
Start

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 14
and disinfected
Victoria
No bylaw exists;
urban agriculture
resolution in place
No regulations No regulations Sonya Chandler
Burnaby Under discussion-
approaching city
hall April 6.
An acre
London Ontario
Public Health bylaw
PH-3
Keeping of
domestic fowl
grandfathered into
bylaw, prohibited as
of 2007
15 m from any
church, school or
dwelling of anyone
other than the
poultry keeper
Waste must be kept
in airtight
containers
Rodent proof
containers for food
(This bylaw has
been grandfathered-
no new chicken

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keeping has been
permitted since
2007)
Halifax Under discussion Louise Hanavan
Kamloops Under investigation
30 hens, no roosters
At least an acre Bonnie Klohn
Esquimault
Zoning Bylaw,
1992, No. 2050,
Amendment Bylaw
[No. 181], 2008,
No. 2694
· Animal Bylaw,
2002, No. 2495,
Animal control
bylaw- no more
than 4
Any property zoned
for single family
dwelling
Minimum enclosed
area of 0.4m2 per
hen
Structures kept
clean, rodent free
and odour free
Structures in the
front yard setback
must be hidden
No slaughter on
property
Any diseased
animal killed and
destroyed

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 16
Amendment Bylaw
[No. 1], 2008, No.
2692
from sight
Waterloo
Voting on bylaw
April 6, 2009
$25 licensing fee
10 chicken limit
15m from school or
church.
3m from lot line
6m from flankage
line
In the rear yard,
detached from the
house
Suitably enclosed
coops or pens
Bodies disposed of
within 24 hours
Food supply
protected from
vermin
Matthew Bailey
Dick, Waterloo Hen
Association

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Niagara Falls No roosters
10 chicken limit
Chickens cannot be
at large
Coops must be in
the rear yard
Yards of 30x12m
Fully enclosed
structures, with
proper ventilation,
adequate space and
effective
containment
Dead chickens must
be properly
disposed of in 24
hours.
Proper disposal of
feces.
Gatineau
183-2005
2 acres minimum Enclosed yard
Vancouver Specific regulations
under discussion
Social Planning
Council
Chicago Unspecified “keep restraint” Dead animals can
be buried if less

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 18
(Ch 7-12)
“sanitary shelter”
(under “Cruelty to
animals”)
than 150lbs.
New York City
(Title 24, Article
161)
Unspecified
No rooster
Permit required for
keeping poultry for
sale
“In coops and
runaways”
Coops shall be kept
clean
“Maintained so as
not to become a
nuisance”
No “escape of
offensive odors”
No slaughter

CHICKEN BACKYARD IN CANADIAN CITIES 19
Seattle
(Title 23, Subtitle
III, Div.2, Ch
42-052)
Up to 3 (more in
larger lots)
Standard lot size
(5000 sq. foot), 1
extra chicken per
1000 sq. foot.
“sanitary condition”
(under “offenses
relating to cruelty”
Feces must not be
accumulated
more than 24 hours.
(under
“offenses relating to
safety and
sanitation”)
No slaughter

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20