City Council defers backyard hen request indefinitely
Posted January 25, 2012 5:29 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – Toronto’s Municipal Licensing and Standards committee has ruffled some feathers by indefinitely deferring a request to look into allowing backyard chickens.
Councillor Frances Nunziata said, if people want chickens, buy a farm.
The city says they simply cannot afford to keep tabs on the animals.
Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker said that if people want a hands on experience with their food they should work on their green thumb.
“Grow some tomatoes. Grow some green beans. I don’t think the fact that I would deny you the fact that I would deny you a chance to have a chicken in your back yard takes away the experience you want with farming.”
Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby says Animal Services has enough on their plate and council has more important things to deal with.
“I believe that people who want to be locavores, and I understand the movement, they should stick to vegetables in their back yard,” she said. “I don’t want to deal with this issue any further.”
Supporters say hens are quieter than dogs and many other North American cities, such as Brampton, Guelph and Vancouver, allow backyard chickens. They say they hope the city will eventually catch up.
