On Thursday, May 22, Champlain council approved making the township’s Backyard Hens Pilot Project a permanent program for residents. The $50 licenses allow residents to have a maximum of four hens on residential property.

The township originally introduced the pilot program on September 26, 2023.

With the program’s initial success, ease of enforcement, and the absence of complaints from residents, municipal staff recommended making it a permanent township feature.

Interested residents can apply for a Backyard Hens license if they meet certain criteria. Only single detached dwellings on lots of at least 500 square metres, zoned residential, are eligible. Coops must also be located in the rear yard of the property.

Outdoor runs, manure, and feed storage must be located in the rear yard and kept at least three metres from adjacent property lines.

Furthermore, hens must be in their coop between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Staff said that a maximum of 30 active licenses would be available for township residents at $50 per property on a first-come, first-served basis. As of today, the township has approved 12 Backyard Hens licenses.

Licenses are valid for 18 months, after which residents must reapply for renewal.

Councillor Sarah Bigelow recalled that when the pilot project was first introduced to council, several residents strongly opposed passing the resolution, but she was pleased to see it come to fruition.

Mayor Normand Riopel then questioned the program’s success, noting that only eight licenses were approved in all of 2024.

Bigelow explained that residents’ hesitation may be due to the number of restrictions that come with licensing, citing confusion with the layout and specifics of the requirements.

Councillor Peter Barton said that it was important for council to take a slow approach as “there are a lot of rules in place to ensure that the hens are not overwhelming or intrusive to neighbours. As more residents become aware that their neighbours are keeping hens, I think the program will grow gradually and organically at a manageable pace for the township.”

Council unanimously approved the decision with Councillor Paul Emile Duval absent.