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

# Gibsons backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

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

**Short answer:** Mostly no. In Gibsons, animals other than household pets, including hens, are allowed only in the AG (agricultural) zone. Chickens are not household pets under the animal bylaw, and the wildlife bylaw says no poultry or beehives may be kept. Ask the Town about your lot.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Gibsons, https://www.gibsons.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice for animals outside the AG zone: $400. Poultry or bees attracting wildlife: $200.  
**How long:** Standing rule; no permit is described.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Planning and Development, Town of Gibsons, 604-886-2274
- Email: Planning and Development, planning@gibsons.ca

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Not allowed in any zone except AG (agricultural). Zoning Bylaw 1342 bans keeping animals other than household pets elsewhere, the Animal Care Bylaw says chickens are not household pets, and the Wildlife Attractant Bylaw says no poultry may be kept (citing old Zoning Bylaw 1065). Ask the Town.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Zoning Bylaw 1342, s. 3.8.2.1](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/)
  - Official wording: "other than household pets is prohibited in all zones except the AG zone."
  - Source: [Animal Care and Regulation Bylaw No. 1328, 2025, Animal Care and Regulation Bylaw, s. 1 'Household Pet'](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/166385/)
  - Official wording: "not include any type of horse, cow, pig, sheep, goat, chicken, turkey or captive"
  - Source: [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1294, 2021, Wildlife Attractant Bylaw 1294, s. 3.5.7](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/133186/)
  - Official wording: "No poultry or beehives are to be kept on the property as per Zoning Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Most hens:** None set. None of the bylaws read for Gibsons sets a number of hens, a rooster rule, coop rules or a permit.
- **Roosters:** None set. None of the bylaws read for Gibsons sets a number of hens, a rooster rule, coop rules or a permit.
- **Coop rules:** None set. None of the bylaws read for Gibsons sets a number of hens, a rooster rule, coop rules or a permit.
- **Permit or registration:** None set. None of the bylaws read for Gibsons sets a number of hens, a rooster rule, coop rules or a permit.
- **Bees:** Wildlife Attractant Bylaw s. 3.5.7 says no poultry or beehives are to be kept on the property, citing the old Zoning Bylaw 1065. The current Zoning Bylaw does not mention bees; ask the Town. Notice for poultry or bees attracting wildlife: $200 ($150 early, $300 late).
  - Source: [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1294, 2021, s. 3.5.7](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/133186/)
  - Official wording: "No poultry or beehives are to be kept on the property as per Zoning Bylaw"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1125, Schedule A, Bylaw 1294 s. 3.5.7](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104779/)
  - Official wording: "1294 3.5.6 $200 $150 $300 Yes wildlife 1294 3.5.7 Poultry/Bees attracting Wildlife $200 $150 $300 Yes Home Delivery Items attracting 1294 3.5.8 $100 $80 $120 No"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Other livestock:** Not allowed outside the AG (agricultural) zone: the Zoning Bylaw prohibits commercial agriculture and keeping animals other than household pets in all other zones. Horses, cows, pigs, sheep and goats are not household pets.
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Zoning Bylaw 1342, s. 3.8.2.1](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/)
  - Official wording: "The Use of land, Buildings, or Structures for commercial agriculture, and the keeping of animals" … "other than household pets is prohibited in all zones except the AG zone."
  - Source: [Animal Care and Regulation Bylaw No. 1328, 2025, Animal Care and Regulation Bylaw, s. 1 'Household Pet'](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/166385/)
  - Official wording: "not include any type of horse, cow, pig, sheep, goat, chicken, turkey or captive"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025; Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1294, 2021; Animal Care and Regulation Bylaw No. 1328, 2025
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Title](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/)
  - Official wording: "Bylaw No. 1342 | 2025"
  - Source: [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1294, 2021, s. 1.1](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/133186/)
  - Official wording: "Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No.1294,"
  - Source: [Animal Care and Regulation Bylaw No. 1328, 2025, Title](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/166385/)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as "Town of Gibsons Animal Care and"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

[Zoning Bylaw No. 1342](<https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/>) (s. 3.8.2.1) prohibits keeping animals other than household pets in every Gibsons zone except AG (agricultural). The [Animal Care and Regulation Bylaw](<https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/166385/>) says a household pet does not include chickens, turkeys, horses, cows, pigs, sheep or goats. So hens are allowed only in the AG zone.

The [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1294](<https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/133186/>) (s. 3.5.7) separately says no poultry or beehives are to be kept on the property. It still refers to the old Zoning Bylaw 1065, which the current zoning bylaw replaced in 2025, and the current zoning bylaw does not mention bees. Ask the Town before you buy birds or hives.

## Good to know

- No number of hens, rule on roosters, coop or run rule, or hen permit or registration is set in any of these bylaws.
- Ducks are not named in the bylaws read.
- Bylaw notice for keeping animals outside the AG zone: $400 ($300 if paid early, $500 late). Poultry or bees attracting wildlife: $200 ($150 early, $300 late).
- Not sure of your zone? Check with Planning and Development at 604-886-2274 or planning@gibsons.ca.

## Official forms and pages

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025 (Town of Gibsons)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/)
- [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1294, 2021 (Town of Gibsons)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/133186/)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/how-many-pets.md)
- [Gibsons zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/backyard-chickens.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/backyard-chickens.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/backyard-chickens.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Zoning Bylaw No. 1342, 2025, Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/89468/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Animal Care and Regulation Bylaw No. 1328, 2025, Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/166385/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1294, 2021, Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/133186/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1125, Town of Gibsons (consolidated)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104779/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Contact us, Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.ca/contact-us/) (read 2026-11-06)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 4 are recorded as not set. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Town of Gibsons. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/backyard-chickens/_