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A 9-year-old’s mission to bring backyard chickens to Burnaby
“Hello, my name is Luis, I am 9 years old. I am talking to you right now because I am asking you if the people in the city can have CHICKENS!” reads the first line of an impassioned letter sent to the City of Burnaby by a young resident named Luis Helmus.
In fact, Helmus’s letter is so good that we just have to include the full version for you to read.
By now, it should be clear that Helmus cares deeply about backyard chickens and he wanted a word with the city. He got some help from his parents, who emailed his letter to the city, explaining that he has been “practising leadership and community involvement through Scouts and learning persuasive writing and presentations through school” and wanted to speak before the social planning and development committee.
He got to do just that during the committee’s Tuesday night meeting, and boy did he bring those persuasive presentation skills.
Helmus came prepared with an impressive chicken-themed PowerPoint, highlighting his findings.
He started his presentation by noting that he’s done his own research, visiting various backyard chicken coops around Metro Vancouver, and outlined what kind of food and environment they require.
He also gave a few reasons why he liked chickens so much.
“Farming seems fun; chickens lay eggs which are very nutritious, and they taste good, and chickens can be like a pet because they are very cheap because cats and dogs can cost thousands of dollars, while chickens are just like $5,” he said.
Helmus’s presentation also touched on why chickens can be beneficial for food security and included information about the jurisdictions around Metro Vancouver that allow backyard chickens, including New Westminster which “has had chickens for over six years with only one complaint each year,” he noted.
And, like any resident keen on getting results, Helmus even drafted a short action plan for the city on how they can implement their policies.
His suggestions were simple and straight to the point: roosters shouldn’t be allowed, there should be limits on how many chickens people can keep, and there should be a system set up for folks to register and apply for the birds.
Helmus’s presentation garnered support from committee members. Coun James Wang said Helmus provided “very good ideas and … gave us good suggestions.”
Burnaby Greens Coun Joe Keithley, who has been a proponent of backyard chickens as a path to bolstering food security, said he appreciated Helmus’s presentation.
“I used to live on a farm, and you know what, the chickens are right there, you get to pick up the eggs every morning. They’re kind of fun. As long as you don’t have roosters, your neighbours are OK. … Food security, that’s what we need as well,” he said.
Helmus’s presentation was well-timed as the matter of backyard chickens was an item on the committee’s agenda for later that evening.
During that discussion, the committee reviewed a report proposing a framework that would amend the Burnaby zoning bylaw and animal control bylaw to permit the keeping of chickens in backyards.
This report comes after a June 2020, social planning committee meeting, where they received a correspondence that included a petition with over 170 signatures requesting the city change its current bylaws to allow residents to keep the birds in their yards. The committee requested staff to report back with the ways the city could support residents to grow and produce their own food, including eggs from chickens.
Staff responded in November 2020, with a request to authorize and re-examine “the feasibility and advisability” of allowing backyard chickens. This was granted by both the committee and council.
The push to allow backyard chickens in Burnaby is not new. In 2010, council heeded a staff recommendation against the proposal, which noted concerns around noise, odour, pests, spread of disease, and unwanted poultry.
“Since that time, a number of other local governments with a largely urban land base have adopted regulations which permit the keeping of chickens on residential properties within certain parameters that addresspotential disease and pest concerns,” notes the report.
The report goes on to present the framework and strategy to accommodate chickens.
Some key framework points include the updating of bylaws to allow for proper definitions pertaining to backyard chickens, zoning districts would have to be specified to ensure the birds are allowed on single-family dwellings in the R1 through R5, R10, and R11 Districts, ensuring proper pen and coop construction, restricting the number of chickens to two per household, only permitting hens, and registering the birds with the Ministry of Agriculture’s BC Premises ID program. The sale of eggs and slaughter of chickens would not be permitted.
Keithley expressed his support for the framework, emphasizing how important it is for younger generations to see where food comes from and how it is produced.
“Growing your food, food security in this world is an important thing to have and kids see where food comes from. It’s not just on a grocery store shelf,” he said.
Wang had a question regarding the size of lots required to keep the chickens. The current framework recommends a minimum lot area of 6000 sq ft but Wang asked if there could be some adjustments made for those with smaller lots.
Coun Colleen Jordan noted that there could be some wiggle room if needed.
“This is the first go at it. … I’m sure we’ll get some feedback when this comes before council about the recommendation, especially from those who have been advocating over a considerable amount of time for this,” she said.
The motion was carried unanimously, and it will head to council for approval, meaning Helmus is one step closer to becoming possibly the youngest chicken caretaker in the city.