---
title: Central Saanich backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Central Saanich?"
place: Central Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/central-saanich
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Central Saanich
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/backyard-chickens/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/backyard-chickens.json"
---

# Central Saanich backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

**Question:** Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Central Saanich?

**Short answer:** In Central Saanich, you can keep chickens and ducks on residential lots: 8 combined on lots under 1,858 square metres, up to 12 on larger lots. Roosters over three months old are not allowed unless agriculture is permitted on the parcel. Bees are allowed with a setback.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Central Saanich, https://www.centralsaanich.ca)  
**Cost:** No permit or registration was found for chickens.  
**How long:** Rules apply at all times.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-544-4237 (Bylaw@csaanich.ca; Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- In person: Municipal Hall, 1903 Mount Newton Cross Road, Saanichton, BC V8M 2A9

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Chickens and ducks may be kept on residential lots, within the lot-size limits. Other poultry may be kept only where agriculture is a permitted use of the parcel.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), ss. 9.1, 9.3](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "with the exception of chickens and ducks, on any parcel of land within the Municipality unless"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Most hens:** 8 chickens or ducks combined on lots under 1,858 m²; 10 on lots over 1,858 m² and under 4,047 m²; 12 on lots of 4,047 m² or more. No limit where agriculture is a permitted use.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), ss. 9.3, 9.4](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "more than 8 chickens or ducks on a parcel of land less than 1858 square metres" … "more than 12 chickens or ducks on a parcel of land greater than or equal to 4047 square" … "there is no limit to the maximum number of" … "more than 10 chickens or ducks on a parcel of land greater than 1858 square metres"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Roosters:** No rooster over three months old unless agriculture is a permitted use of the parcel.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), s. 9.2](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep or harbour a rooster over the age of three (3) months"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Coop rules:** Zoning Bylaw s. 4.6 (Additional Setbacks): buildings and structures housing or enclosing livestock, which includes poultry, must be at least 30 m from any lot line adjoining a residential zone. The Animal Control Bylaw sets no coop size or setback.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026, s. 4.6 Additional Setbacks (1); Part 3 'Livestock'](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall be a minimum of 30 m from any Lot Line adjoining a residential zone" … "“Livestock” means rabbits, goats, sheep, swine, horses, cattle, poultry"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Permit or registration:** Not confirmed. The Animal Control Bylaw is silent on registration for chickens.
- **Bees:** Allowed. Outside Agriculture Zones, a hive must be at least 7.62 m (25 feet) from any property line (not applicable to hives used with a greenhouse operation). Bees must be in an apiary registered under the Bee Act.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), s. 12.1 and definition of Bee](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "unless the hive or device is located at least 7.62 metres" … "kept in an apiary which is registered under the provisions of"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other livestock:** Poultry other than chickens and ducks, and roosters, only where agriculture is a permitted use. Pigeons: 50 maximum outside Agriculture Zones. Wild animals banned. Zoning: buildings housing livestock must be 30 m from lot lines adjoining a residential zone.
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), ss. 9.1, 9.2, 11.1, 8.1](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person shall keep or harbour any wild animal on any parcel" … "no person shall keep more than 50 pigeons on"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026, s. 4.6 Additional Setbacks (1)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "All Buildings and Structures for housing or enclosing Livestock" … "shall be a minimum of 30 m from any Lot Line adjoining a residential zone"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (numbers and types of animals); Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026 (setback for buildings housing livestock, s. 4.6).
  - Source: [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026), s. 14.1](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Central Saanich Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026, title; s. 4.6](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Central Saanich Zoning Bylaw No. 2270" … "shall be a minimum of 30 m from any Lot Line adjoining a residential zone"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097](<https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf>) allows chickens and ducks on residential lots within these limits, combined:

- Lots under 1,858 m²: 8
- Lots over 1,858 m² and under 4,047 m²: 10
- Lots of 4,047 m² or more: 12

There is no limit where agriculture is a permitted use of the parcel. Other poultry may be kept only where agriculture is permitted. No rooster over three months old is allowed unless agriculture is permitted on the parcel.

## Steps

1. Check your lot size and whether agriculture is permitted on your parcel (see the zoning answer).
2. Keep within the number allowed for your lot.
3. Check the building rule below before you build a coop.
4. For bees, keep the hive at least 7.62 m (25 feet) from any property line if you are outside an Agriculture Zone, and register the apiary under the Bee Act.

## Good to know

- No permit, licence or registration for chickens was found. The bylaw is silent on it.
- The Animal Control Bylaw sets no coop size or setback. The [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270](<https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf>) has a general rule (s. 4.6): buildings and structures that house or enclose livestock, which includes poultry, must be at least 30 m from any lot line next to a residential zone. This is a general livestock-building rule, not one written for coops. Confirm with the District how it applies to a backyard coop.
- The hive setback does not apply to hives used with a greenhouse operation.
- Pigeons: 50 at most outside Agriculture Zones. Wild animals are banned.
- Too many chickens was a $100 ticket in the 2020 schedule, which names an earlier bylaw. Confirm the current amount with the District.

## Official forms and pages

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026) (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Central Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/how-many-pets.md)
- [Central Saanich zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Central Saanich bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Sidney](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sidney/backyard-chickens.md)
- [North Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-saanich/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Highlands](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/highlands/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Saanich](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/saanich/backyard-chickens.md)
- [View Royal](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/view-royal/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Esquimalt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/esquimalt/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2097, 2021 (consolidated June 2026) (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Animal%20Control%20Consolidated%20Bylaw%20JUNE%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 2270, 2026 (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2026-07/Zoning%20Bylaw%20No.%202270%2C%202026.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 2057, 2020, with schedules (PDF)](https://www.centralsaanich.ca/sites/default/files/2023-05/2057_-_mti.pdf) (read 2026-11-06)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Central Saanich. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/central-saanich/backyard-chickens/_