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Bowen Island backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Bowen Island?

Bowen Island, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

Short answer

Bowen Island's Land Use Bylaw does not mention hens, chickens, roosters or bees. It allows "domestic agriculture" for personal use in some residential zones, but does not say whether hens count. No hen limit, coop rule or permit is set. Ask Planning before buying birds.

Key facts

Hens allowedThe Land Use Bylaw does not mention hens or chickens. It lists 'domestic agriculture' (growing or rearing any agricultural product for the occupant's personal use) as an accessory use in the Rural Residential (RR 1, RR 2, RR 3) and Settlement Residential (SR 1, SR 2) zones. It does not say whether hens count.Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated November 2025), Bowen Island Municipality, s. 1 definitions; Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated November 2025), Bowen Island Municipality, ss. 4.1.1, 4.5.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
means the growing or rearing of any agricultural product for the personal
use of the occupant of the lot.
4.1.1 Permitted Uses of Land, Buildings and Structures
Domestic Agriculture ♦ ♦ ♦
4.5.1 Permitted Uses of Land, Buildings and Structures
Domestic Agriculture ♦ ♦
Most hensNone set. Bowen Island's bylaws set no hen limit, coop rule or permit.
RoostersNone set. The bylaws read for Bowen Island set no rooster rule.
Coop rulesNo coop rules found. One general rule: keeping of livestock or poultry may not be conducted within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland, or 50 metres of a water reservoir or lake.Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated November 2025), Bowen Island Municipality, s. 3.21 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
No use, including those uses listed below, shall be conducted within thirty (30) metres
keeping of livestock or poultry or storage of agricultural waste;
Permit or registrationNone set. Bowen Island's bylaws set no hen limit, coop rule or permit.
BeesNot confirmed. Bowen Island's Land Use Bylaw does not mention bees.
Other livestockAgriculture (rearing crops, plants, livestock and other animals, subject to Provincial regulation) and stables are permitted principal uses in the Rural Residential zones RR 1, RR 2 and RR 3. In RR 1(c) areas, agriculture is limited to lots of 1 hectare and larger. Livestock and poultry may not be kept within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland, or 50 metres of a lake.Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated November 2025), Bowen Island Municipality, s. 1 definition; Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated November 2025), Bowen Island Municipality, s. 4.1.4(3); Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated November 2025), Bowen Island Municipality, s. 3.21 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
the growing, rearing, producing or
harvesting of crops, plants, livestock and other animals subject to Provincial Regulation
Agriculture use and horticulture use is limited to lots 1 hectare (2.47
acres) and larger.
keeping of livestock or poultry or storage of agricultural waste;
BylawBowen Island Municipality Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated November 2025)Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated November 2025), Bowen Island Municipality, title · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
Official wording
BOWEN ISLAND MUNICIPALITY LAND USE BYLAW NO. 57, 2002
CONSOLIDATED FOR CONVENIENCE – November 2025

How it works

The Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 does not mention hens, chickens, roosters or bees. It lists "domestic agriculture" (growing or rearing any agricultural product for the occupant's personal use) as an accessory use in the Rural Residential zones RR 1, RR 2 and RR 3 and the Settlement Residential zones SR 1 and SR 2. It does not say whether hens count. The Village Residential zones VR 1 and VR 2 list no domestic agriculture. Find your lot's zone on Schedule B (the Land Use Map).

Good to know

  • No number of hens, rooster rule, coop rule or permit is set in the bylaws we read.
  • Keeping livestock or poultry may not be done within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland, or 50 metres of a water reservoir or lake.
  • Agriculture (rearing crops, plants, livestock and other animals, subject to Provincial regulation) and stables are permitted principal uses in RR 1, RR 2 and RR 3. In RR 1(c) areas, agriculture is limited to lots of 1 hectare and larger.
  • Before getting birds or bees, ask Planning at 604-947-4255 ext. 6 or planning@bimbc.ca.

Official forms and pages

The same question in other places

West Vancouver · Gibsons · Lions Bay · District of North Vancouver · North Vancouver · Vancouver

Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

  1. Land Use Bylaw No. 57, 2002 (consolidated November 2025) (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality (read 2026-11-08)
  2. Bylaw Enforcement, Bowen Island Municipality (read 2026-11-08)
  3. Contact, Bowen Island Municipality (read 2026-11-08)

Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 3 are recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.