Sidney has long been the only municipality in Greater Victoria to not allow residents to have chickens in their backyards, but that could be changing soon.
Since 2019, council has been hearing from many residents that they want to be able to have backyard chickens and in November 2023, Sidney staff were directed to figure out the best way to implement this kind of change.
This week, the town council took major steps towards allowing backyard chickens with the bylaw being given its first, second and third readings.
However, with this bylaw will come many stipulations so Sidney can facilitate the new endeavour.
One such stipulation is, similarly to all other municipalities in the region, no roosters will be permitted to be owned because they are the ones that create unwanted noise and without them there will be no unwanted breeding.
Additionally, only lots with single-family homes that are 550 square metres, or 5,920 square feet in size or larger will be permitted to keep backyard hens and there would be a limit of five backyard hens per property.
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During the council’s discussion on the finer points of this bylaw and who will be allowed to have backyard chickens, there was some confusion over what makes a house a single-family home.
According to the bylaw, duplexes or multi-unit properties will not be permitted to have chickens, but if a house has a tenant living in a second suite, then it would be permitted.
“A house with a secondary suite, which is owned by one owner, that would be permitted to have chickens,” said a Town staffer during the council meeting.
“If it has two different owners, three or four different owners, then that’s where they would not be permitted.”
Residents will have to apply for a permit and become approved by the Township and they will ensure the chicken enclosures are up to their standards and that the hens are being cared for properly.
“I think that backyard chickens are more common in our municipalities than we think and I think it’s appropriate,” said Councillor Steve Duck, who moved the motion.
“All in all, I think this is a welcome addition to Sidney for the care and food subsistence in our community.”
The only thing to do going forward is to approve this new bylaw, which Sidney says it will do at a future council meeting.
Councillors Scott Garnett, Chad Rintoul and Richard Novek were the only council members to vote against the bylaw being adopted.
