Torontonians with backyards may be able to add another kind of nest egg to their residential holdings. City staff have recommended broader allowance for hen-keeping, as a four-year pilot program in designated central neighbourhoods nears completion.
A report to Toronto’s general government and licensing committee cites the potential food, education and mental health benefits of a wider rollout of the backyard hen-keeping program. The 102 registered pilot locations, hosting a total of 307 hens, engendered just three noise complaints and two odour complaints in the period from March 2018 to late January 2022. However, sites were never proactively inspected and it’s not known if all the households that initially signed up still keep hens.
“The pilot program was not based on a cost-recovery model and it was implemented and managed within existing staff resources,” the report advises. “The City does not currently charge a registration fee and staff do not conduct a site inspection as a condition of registration. Enforcement investigations are complaint based.”
Under pilot program rules, participating households are limited to a maximum of four hens (roosters are prohibited), which must be kept in backyard coops that provide a specified amount of space per bird and comply with municipal zoning and setback requirements. Flocks are to be solely for non-commercial egg production. The hens cannot be consumed as meat; nor can their manure be sold. Owners are also expected to take measures to safeguard against and discourage predators.
In future, the staff report proposes that hen-keepers would have to formally register, pay license fees and be subject to inspections and fines for non-compliance. An initial $151 license fee and subsequent $34 annual renewal are recommended. Participants would also have to submit site plans and receive approval for their backyard coops, and complete the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ (OMAFRA) approved online course, which is offered through the Poultry Industry Council.
“There is public support for hen-keeping among residents across Toronto and the majority of stakeholders consulted did not oppose program expansion. Many jurisdictions in Ontario and North America more broadly have successful hen-keeping programs with comparable program rules,” the staff report states.
It’s estimated a citywide program would generate about $274,000 from registration fees during the first two years and about $47,600 in annual renewal fees thereafter. The staff report also projects a requirement for three additional animal control officers, equating to up to $347,000 in new annual operating costs.
A survey of pilot program participants found they made an average investment of $1,375 to obtain and accommodate their flocks. Similar backyard hen-keeping programs are allowed elsewhere in Ontario, in Brampton, Guelph, Kingston and Niagara Falls, and in other larger Canadian cities, including Vancouver and Edmonton.
