Consideration of Backyard Chickens Proposal in Clarington

The General Government Committee of Clarington discussed the proposal to allow residents to keep backyard chickens during their meeting on December 4, 2023. Councillor Zwart moved a resolution indicating that the Exotic Pet By-law 2012-045 currently prohibits raising chickens on non-agriculturally zoned lands. The committee expressed a desire to consider allowing residents in rural hamlets, rural clusters, and the Village of Orono to keep chickens for egg-laying purposes on these lands. The resolution directed staff in the Legislative Services Department to prepare a report that would include a review of past reports, stakeholder consultations, and practices in other municipalities regarding backyard chickens. Additionally, input from the Agricultural Advisory Committee, Climate Change Response Coordinator, and Planning & Infrastructure Services Department was requested, along with options for frameworks to permit the keeping of chickens. An amendment was made to include larger lots in urban areas in the review. The main motion, as amended, was carried with a vote of 6 to 1.