Yes

I am very glad a Councillor is bringing the issue up. I few hens make for sustainable, productive, entertaining backyard guests. Reducing pests including ticks, caterpillars and veggie garden pests. We can also use them to reduce our dependence on the landfill, chickens eat almost all kitchen scraps. Thanks for pressing the issue and lets hope it goes through. A great YouTube video on the benefits of hens. https://youtu.be/m2pUU1u9g7E

I hope barrie follows suit with other municipalities and allows people to have a few hens.

Well I knew they would drag their heels again. Great timing too when supply chains are about to get very slim. Thanks for nothing Barrie.

Well, the City's report came out on March 30, and none of the three municipalities they reached out to, including Toronto and Kitchener, had any major issues at all, and their feedback was very positive. So, when's the Barrie City Council vote? We have a place ready in our side yard for our four new chickens!

Any update? Even Orillia is extending the backyard hens pilot ! I don't see a reason why Barrie is so conservative on this matter. If By-law needs to be changed by permitting hens, then change it. Servicing public is council's job, I am disappointed.

Any progress on this yet?

Barrie Council must reconsider this matter and permit residence to keep chickens as they used to allow; otherwise, need new Councillors/ Council

I believe that many municipalities have allowed hens only to avoid the noise issue which appears to be the largest complaint. During times of pandemic I would hope our council would be looking at this issue as a means of helping people to stay home. Please rethink this council. You could save a life. Now more than ever we need self sufficiency. Make limits on the numbers. No one needs more than three or four hens. No one needs roosters for eggs. Please reconsider. I would have to think there is a compromise here.

Lots of by-laws have been changed overnight because of the COVID-19 virus to make life easier and more affordable for residents. Allowing for backyard hens within reasonable limits (amount of hens, proximity to fence lines, no crowing roosters etc) would allow people A) fresh food to eat from home and B) something to freaking do with all of this free time! I mean, surely we can keep a couple of chickens, which are way more quiet (and **** less) than a couple of medium sized dogs, if we are being honest!

I'm so disappointed in Barrie City council.

An update from the City:

http://barrie.ca.legistar.com/gateway.aspx?M=F&ID=bb79d4ef-57df-491d-aac1-a2590df4c6a0.pdf

This matter has been reviewed previously and was not recommended for many of the reasons listed above in the memo. Should this suggestion be implemented, an amendment to the City of Barrie By-Law 2010- 035 would be required to permit the keeping of domestic fowl on or in any Residential lot. In addition to this amendment, an established list of standards and provisions would be needed for the keeping of chickens and brought forward to Council. Furthermore, a review of the possible impacts on the Enforcement Services Department would be needed. This review would include the staffing needs and costs associated with enforcement. Additionally, there is the potential for this implementation to impact other City By-Laws therefore, investigation into further amendments may be needed. For example, the City’s Zoning By-Law, Property Standards, Fees By-Law and Noise By-Law may need amendments. Finally, community consultation and engagement on any proposed changes should take place to obtain feedback and input as part of any new program to permit urban hens in the City of Barrie.

If we were allowed to have backyard hens a year ago, those of us that wanted this would be much more self-sufficient in our current pandemic, not having to leave home for essentials like eggs. I want to keep myself and my community healthy in times like this.

I suppose the greater failing here is that a proposal voted up over a year ago has not seen any action by city council. How do we as citizens even have a voice if this entire platform is disregarded? I encourage everyone to write a letter to their councillors directly to push the issue: https://www.barrie.ca/City%20Hall/MayorCouncil/Pages/default.aspx

It's almost 1year now and no update on this idea from the City of Barrie.
Any update in this suggestion?

For almost a week I cannot find eggs And meat in supermarkets. If we can have back yard chicken , at least it can get us through time like this. Any one else facing the same issue ? Why city is dragging it for so long ??

An allowance of up to three hens and no roosters is what many other cities have, and it works for them just fine. Chickens are a relatively quiet animal, quieter than a dog, and offer a range of benefits for their keepers. Not only do they provide fresh eggs, they also help gardeners manage unwanted pests. Chickens will even hunt mice. They can consume many kitchen scraps, reducing the volume of green bin waste, and their droppings would be just as compostable as any other organic waste by the city, rich in nitrogen which is vital to kickstart the composting process.

I'm contacted the city about this... Hopefully we'll get some answers soon. This was posted as a suggestion almost 2 years ago & has been sitting "under review" since March, 2019.

Any word on this? I hope the city understands that the people who really want this are going to take care of their chickens, no questions. The city should provide education to new chicken owners. Like I said in a previous post if their concern is noise then they should have visited my backyard when there were dogs barking from three sides. A little bit of cooing is nothing.

It beyond time to move forward on this decision!

I heard on the radio last week that this was being discussed by city council. Was there a decision made?