In 2017, Peterborough City Council voted to ban backyard hens. The council is considering revisiting that decision and now is the time to have your say!
If you are in support of citizens keeping urban hens, please consider writing to your Councillor to share those views.
At Nourish, we believe that urban small-scale chicken farming is a way to enhance urban agriculture, increase food security and provide greater access to local food. Keeping backyard chickens gives residents increased options for sustainably producing their own food at reduced costs, and provides additional benefits such as pest control, waste reduction, and opportunities for education, increased food literacy and community building.
To learn more about community perspectives on this issue and other Urban Agriculture initiatives, we hosted Edible City: Embedding Food in Peterborough's Official Plan in 2016.
We are writing a letter to our Councillors to let them know how we feel about Item 8 of Committee of the Whole Report N0.10 (Report OCS16-004- Comprehensive Animal By-Law). If you agree and would like to sign this letter or adapt it for you use, please do. Here is a template letter that you can use as is or adapt to make your own.
To City of Peterborough Councillors,
I am writing to you as a citizen of Peterborough in hopes that By-Law #17-096 that classsifies chickens under Schedule 'A' prohibited animals be revisited and ammended to allow for citizens keeping urban hens witin City limits.
Urban small-scale chicken farming is a way to enhance urban agriculture, increase food security and provide greater access to local food. Keeping backyard chickens gives residents increased options for sustainably producing their own food at reduced costs, and provides additional benefits such as pest control, waste reduction, and opportunities for education, increased food literacy and community building.
The Urban Agriculture Task Force, a sub-group of Sustainable Peterborough’s Future of Food and Farming Task Force works towards: Feeding ourselves sustainably with local, healthy foods. Their DRAFT report: Encouraging Urban Agriculture in Greater Peterborough: Priorities for the Near Future to be released this fall outlines clear and simple recommendations related to Urban Chickens:
1. Allow raising of hens within the City of Peterborough and urban settlements in the County of Peterborough.
2. To create reasonable restrictions on the raising of chickens.
Several municipalities across Canada including Guelph and Vancouver have successful by-laws that support and allow for backyard chickens. Many agree that with reasonable restrictions and regulations to be adhered to backyard chickens can be a part of healthy urban environments. To ensure success, considerations for the following should be discussed and addressed.
· Number of hens permitted (no roosters)
· Education and Training (Chicken 101) for those interested and delivery costs for programs
· Waste management/animal husbandry requirements/best practices;
· Predation issues; and space requirements;
· Licensing
· Budget to support the development, implementation and evaluation of the by-law.
Instead of banning backyard chickens, Peterborough area municipalities should consider reviewing existing regulations to determine the best way to meet community members' interest in backyard chickens and personal egg production while also supporting the education and information needs of people interested in keeping urban hens.
Sincerely,
Signature
Name
Address
Contact
You can find a complete list of Councillors and their contact information here: (and below)
Further Resources:
Peterborough Food Action Network: Food In Peterborough Blog Post
Just Food (Ottawa) - Hens and Urban Areas
Urban Agriculture Committee Encouraging Urban Agriculture in Greater Peterborough: Priorities for the Near Future. Excerpt on Backyard Chickens. 
Backyard Chickens-UrbanAgCommittee.docx . The entire document can be found at www.foodinpeterborough.ca/create-change/reportsresearch/
For more details on the by-law and public reaction see:
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/2016/06/22/possibility-of-a-city-chicken-ban-has-owners-upset
Mayor
Mayor Diane Therrien
c/o City Hall, 500 George Street North, Peterborough, ON K9J 3R9
Voice Mail » 705-742-7777 x1870
E-Mail » dtherrien@peterborough.ca
Councillors
Ward 1 - Otonabee
Councillor Lesley Parnell
c/o City Hall, 500 George Street North, Peterborough, Ontario K9H 3R9
Voice Mail » 705-742-7777 x4641
Cell » 705-931-1272
E-Mail » lparnell@peterborough.ca
Councillor Kim Zippel
c/o City Hall, 500 George St. N., Peterborough, Ontario, K9H 3R9
Voice Mail: 705-742-7777 ext. 4615
Cell: 705-760-2291
E-Mail: kzippel@peterborough.ca
Ward 2- Monaghan
Councillor Henry Clarke
1287 Bridle Drive, Peterborough, ON K9J 7J7
Voice Mail » 705-742-7777 x4611
Business » 705-743-3260 x3525
Home » 705-749-3149
E-Mail » hclarke@peterborough.ca
Councillor Don Vassiliadias
c/o City Hall, 500 George Street North, Peterborough, ON K9J 3R9
Voice Mail » 705-742-7777 x4645
Cell » 705-875-2402
E-Mail » dvassiliadis@peterborough.ca
Ward 3 - Town
Councillor Dean Pappas
c/o City Hall, 500 George Street North, Peterborough, Ontario K9H 3R9
Voice Mail » 705-742-7777 x4613
Home » 705-931-3619
E-Mail » dpappas@peterborough.ca
Councillor Kemi Akapo
Second Deputy Mayor
City Hall, 500 George St. N., Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 3R9
Voice Mail: 705-742-7777 ext. 4614
Cell: 705-760-2281
E-Mail: kakapo@peterborough.ca
Ward 4 - Ashburnham
Councillor Keith Riel
693 Whitaker Street Unit 12, Peterborough, Ontario K9H 7H4
Voice Mail » 705-742-7777 x4640
Home » 705-743-8715
E-Mail » kriel@peterborough.ca
Councillor Gary Baldwin
/o City Hall, 500 George Street North, Peterborough, ON K9J 3R9
Voice Mail » 705-742-7777 x4647
Cell » 705-760-1428
E-Mail » gbaldwin@peterborough.ca
Ward 5 - Northcrest
Councillor Andrew Beamer
c/o City Hall, 500 George Street North, Peterborough, Ontario K9H 3R9
Voice Mail » 705-742-7777 x4642
Home » 705-743-8004
E-Mail » arbeamer@peterborough.ca
Councillor Stephen Wright
City Hall, 500 George St. N., Peterborough, Ontario, K9H 3R9
Voice Mail: 705-742-7777 ext. 4612
Cell: 705-872-6270
Email: swright@peterborough.ca
