The idea of allowing backyard chickens in London is being resurrected at city hall.
The planning and environment committee will hear a report on Monday that recommends further study and a possible pilot project involving backyard chickens, as part of the Urban Agriculture Strategy.
While the urban hen program is only a small part of the overall strategy, the report notes it has received the most written support over the course of the strategy’s development.
The idea of allowing Londoners to keep laying hens in their backyards was first floated by former councillor Stephen Orser in 2010. But it was shifted to the chopping block in 2011, after many residents cited backyard chickens as an example of council's lost priorities during a time when the city was trying to recover from the recent economic downturn.
The strategy, that essentially brings the country to the city, recommends research into bylaws that allow backyard hens in other Canadian cities, including benefits and problems associated with them. It also calls for the city to take steps to ensure the health, security, and welfare of urban livestock.
Despite city staff advising that the strategy move forward, the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee is recommending there be no change to the current bylaw prohibiting backyard chickens. The group is raising concerns over current handling practices, extreme weather conditions that have been known to leave chickens with frostbite, and the disposal of unwanted hens. In addition, the committee points to an increase in the number of salmonella infections in areas that allow backyard chickens.
Other initiatives in the Urban Agriculture Strategy include community composting, more school gardens and farmers markets, community kitchens, and urban beekeeping.
The funding for the strategy would come from community partners who step up to implement various parts of the project, existing programs funded through the current municipal budget, and future requested in the 2019-2023 city budget.
