Chickens could soon be coming to backyards across Burnaby.
On Tuesday, the City of Burnaby’s social planning committee passed a recommendation to request council to authorize staff to prepare amendments to the Burnaby Zoning Bylaw and Animal Control Bylaw as required to permit the keeping of backyard chickens.
If council approves the committee’s recommendation, that would be good news to nine-year-old Burnaby resident Luis Helmus, who appeared in front of the committee before the staff presentation on Tuesday and made his pitch as to why the city should allow backyard chickens.
Helmus said during a PowerPoint presentation that he has been doing tours of chicken coops to get a better idea of what they want and need. He noted chickens need a coop, like to be high off of the ground, lay their eggs in the dark and eat compost, food pellets and meal worms.
"Farming seems fun," he said.
"Chickens lay eggs which are very nutritious and they taste good.
"Chickens can be like a pet because they're very cheap. Cats and dogs can cost thousands of dollars while chickens are just like, $5."
He told the committee he thinks chickens are helpful because it means food is very close by, farmers can make more money and people can also learn responsibility.
The issue of allowing backyard chickens in Burnaby has been in the works for a couple of years.
In June 2020, the social planning committee received correspondence, which included a petition with 173 signatures, wanting changes to city bylaws to allow backyard chickens.
The committee sent the letter to staff and asked for a report that outlines ways that the city could support residents to produce more of their own food, including backyard chickens (for eggs).
A new city staff report was provided to the committee with a proposed framework.
Staff said in the report they consulted with Fraser Health for the potential health risks relating to keeping backyard chickens, including mitigation measures. They also have consulted with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, according to the report.
This year, the ministry will require owners to register livestock, which would include poultry, through a traceability program.
"Ministry staff advised that this program is intended for large and small scale livestock and hobby farms, including backyard chickens,” the report said.
“There is no cost to register and obtain a premises ID number from the ministry. The responsibility will be on the owner to practice the safe and healthy keeping of chickens, however, the ministry and local governments can facilitate risks by providing general regulations and educational resources."
The city also examined and discussed potential nuisances including pests, noise and odour with a Fraser Health medical health officer, the report states.
"The review concluded that appropriate care, maintenance, sanitization and disposal of backyard chicken waste can reduce the potential of attracting pests and limiting noise and odour issues."
Proposed framework
The proposed framework presented by city staff is as follows:
- Introduce/update definitions in the bylaws
- Only residents living in single-family dwellings are permitted to keep chickens as an accessory use
- Minimize the risk of predation through proper and secure pen coop construction
- Secure feed to eliminate the risk of pest intrusion and spoilage and attracting other animals
- Residents are permitted to keep a minimum of two chickens and not more than four
- Only hens are to be permitted, which are defined as female chickens over the age of four months
- No roosters are permitted
- No sale of eggs is permitted on the premises
- No slaughter of chickens is permitted on the premises
- Registration of chicken(s) with the Ministry of Agriculture B.C. Premises ID program required
- Review the city's information package on keeping of backyard chickens
"Chair [Coun.] Jordan will remember when it was about two years ago, that [backyard chickens] was brought forward to be in front of this very committee and that I and the rest of the committee thought that having backyard chickens would be a great thing and food security," Coun. Joe Keithly said.
"And funnily enough, I've had an awful lot of letters and emails in my city inbox endorsing chickens. I haven't really seen one that I recall this, and oh, no, we can have chickens.
"I think it's great. And I think people really appreciate it. I think kids will learn from this too, like growing your own foods, food security in this world is an important thing to have. And kids see where food comes from."
