Chatham-Kent council has given its approval for a limited pilot program to allow for backyard chickens in rural areas and small villages at Monday night’s council meeting.
Currently, chickens are allowed in agriculture zones. The pilot program will allow backyard chickens eventually in small hamlets and villages such as Tupperville.
Council thought about allowing the pilot program on properties anywhere in Chatham-Kent over the size of one acre, but that motion failed by an 8-9 vote.
Although the pilot program is limited, it will allow the municipality and council to eventually move towards a permanent backyard chicken program, with the pilot program to be used to inform process improvements to the program and/or bylaw. Administration said it is very difficult to step back from a program such as this once citizens have already purchased chickens and invested in equipment and construction.
Chatham councillor Brock McGregor wanted to see the pilot project across the municipality but couldn’t get council approval from his council colleagues.
“Hopefully maybe this pilot project is an opportunity to learn some lessons and then eventually expand that program,” McGregor said.
“One of the concepts that we should be keeping in mind is making sure we design these programs to be equitable.”
A report from administration outlined the costs for the enforcement of backyard chickens.
Administration will come back to council with a bylaw for the pilot project for approval.
A 2023 municipal survey showed that 68.4% of the participants were in favour of Chatham-Kent residents being allowed to keep backyard chickens.
Councillor Ryan Doyle was in favour of the pilot project.
We are a rural community, a lot of people off the record already have chickens, so let’s make it so we can monitor it,” noting surveys show that residents are in favour of backyard chickens.
The Kent Federation of Agriculture opposed any by-law that would allow backyard chickens
in urban Chatham-Kent. They have concerns that allowing chickens in urban areas would lead to avian flu outbreaks.