{"title":"Invermere backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Invermere?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/invermere","name":"Invermere","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"pets-and-wildlife","name":"Pets, animals and wildlife"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"District of Invermere","url":"https://invermere.net"},"short_answer":"In Invermere, \"keeping of farm animals\" is a permitted use in the RR-1 and RR-2 rural zones, with limits by animal unit. The R-1 single-family zone does not list it. The District asks you to call 250-342-9281 about backyard chickens.","aliases":["backyard chickens invermere","keep hens invermere","chicken coop invermere","livestock invermere"],"cost":"No permit, licence or registration for hens was found in the bylaw or District pages.","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"914 8th Avenue, Invermere, BC V0A 1K0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."},{"type":"phone","label":"District office","value":"250-342-9281","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m."}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/"},{"title":"Domestic animal control, District of Invermere","url":"https://invermere.net/operations/animal-control/domestic/"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Invermere","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"noise-rules","title":"Invermere noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/noise-rules/"},{"slug":"unsightly-property","title":"Invermere unsightly property rules and how to report","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/unsightly-property/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/canal-flats","name":"Canal Flats","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kaslo","name":"Kaslo","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/elkford","name":"Elkford","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/elkford/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/kimberley","name":"Kimberley","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kimberley/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/cranbrook","name":"Cranbrook","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cranbrook/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/golden","name":"Golden","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/backyard-chickens/"}],"topic":{"title":"Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens/"},"facts":{"hens_allowed":{"label":"Hens allowed","value":"\"Keeping of farm animals\" is a permitted use in the RR-1 and RR-2 rural zones. The R-1 single-family zone lists only a single family dwelling plus uses allowed in all zones. Other residential zones were not checked. The District says to call the office about backyard chickens.","short":"Only RR-1 and RR-2 zones; call District","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","section":"s. 5.13 (RR-1) and s. 5.14 (RR-2) permitted uses","quotes":["(c) Keeping of farm animals;"]},{"url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","section":"s. 5.3 (R-1) permitted uses","quotes":["(a) Single Family Dwelling (b) Uses permitted under Section 3.3 of this Bylaw"]},{"url":"https://invermere.net/operations/animal-control/domestic/","title":"Domestic animal control, District of Invermere","section":"Domestic animal control page","quotes":["If you have concerns regarding backyard chickens, please contact the District office at 250-342-9281."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":"Only where \"Keeping of farm animals\" is permitted (RR-1, RR-2): poultry may not exceed one-half animal unit per hectare (one animal unit is 125 chickens, turkeys, geese or ducks), rounded down. No separate hen count.","short":"No hen count; farm-animal zones only","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","section":"s. 2 definitions, Farm Animals, Keeping of","quotes":["of animal units of poultry shall not exceed one-half (1/2) the animal unit per hectare in total","125 chickens, turkeys, geese or ducks"]},{"url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","section":"s. 2 definitions, Animal Unit","quotes":["125 chickens, turkeys, geese or ducks"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":null,"status":"none","note":"The Zoning Bylaw does not state a rule on roosters or beekeeping.","sources":[]},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":"A building used to shelter, or to store manure or compost of, poultry must be at least 30 m from a parcel line and 30 m from a domestic well, spring, lake or watercourse.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","section":"s. 3.9(3)(b)","quotes":["compost of poultry, dairy cattle, or for mushroom farming shall be sited no closer than: (i) 30 m (98.4 ft) from a parcel line;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","sources":[]},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":null,"status":"none","note":"The Zoning Bylaw does not state a rule on roosters or beekeeping.","sources":[]},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"In the zones that permit \"Keeping of farm animals\" (RR-1, RR-2), livestock other than swine or mink is limited to one animal unit per hectare (for example 1 horse or cow, 4 goats or sheep, 40 rabbits), rounded down.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","section":"s. 2 definitions, Farm Animals, Keeping of","quotes":["of animal units of livestock shall not exceed one (1) animal unit per hectare in total"]},{"url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","section":"s. 2 definitions, Animal Unit","quotes":["4 goats plus kids"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","section":"Title","quotes":["Zoning Bylaw No. 1145"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":2,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nIn Invermere, the [Zoning Bylaw No. 1145](https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/) lists \"keeping of farm animals\" as a permitted use in the RR-1 and RR-2 rural zones. The R-1 single-family zone lists only a single family dwelling plus uses allowed in all zones. Other residential zones were not checked. The posted copy is dated 2016, and later amendments are listed separately, so confirm your zone with the District.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Find your property's zone with the District, or call 250-342-9281, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The District's animal page says to call that number about backyard chickens.\n2. If your lot is in RR-1 or RR-2, follow the limits below.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Poultry may not exceed one-half animal unit per hectare, rounded down. One animal unit is 125 chickens, turkeys, geese or ducks. There is no separate hen count.\n- Other livestock (not swine or mink) is limited to one animal unit per hectare, for example 1 horse or cow, 4 goats or sheep, or 40 rabbits, rounded down.\n- A building that shelters poultry, or stores its manure or compost, must be at least 30 m from a parcel line and 30 m from a domestic well, spring, lake or watercourse.\n- The bylaw does not state a rule on roosters or beekeeping, and no permit or registration for hens was found. Ask the District.","sources":[{"url":"https://invermere.civicweb.net/document/20335/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 1145, 2002 (consolidated PDF), District of Invermere","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://invermere.net/operations/animal-control/domestic/","title":"Domestic animal control, District of Invermere","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://invermere.net/operations/general/contact-information/","title":"Contact Information, District of Invermere","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 2 are recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/backyard-chickens.json"}}