Lions Bay backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Lions Bay?
Short answer
No. Lions Bay's zoning bans keeping poultry, including chickens and roosters, in all zones, and bans other livestock too. Only household pets other than poultry may be kept. Beekeeping is not named in the zoning bylaw, but beehives must be protected from wildlife.
Key facts
| Hens allowed | No. Zoning prohibits, in all zones, animal husbandry including the keeping of poultry; only household pets other than poultry may be kept.Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017, s. 4.3.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThe following uses are expressly prohibited in all zones: animal husbandry including the keeping of poultry, fish farming, the boarding of animals and the keeping of animals, except that household pets, other than poultry, may be kept; |
|---|---|
| Most hens | None: keeping poultry is prohibited in all zones.Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017, s. 4.3.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordinganimal husbandry including the keeping of poultry, fish farming, the boarding of animals |
| Roosters | No. Roosters are poultry, and keeping poultry is prohibited in all zones.Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017, s. 4.3.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordinganimal husbandry including the keeping of poultry, fish farming, the boarding of animals |
| Coop rules | Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read. |
| Permit or registration | None set. The bylaws offer no permit or exception for keeping hens. |
| Bees | Beekeeping is not named in the Zoning Bylaw. The only rule found: beehives must be protected by an electric fence or otherwise made inaccessible to wildlife. Ticket for an unprotected beehive: $150 ($120 if paid within 14 days, $180 after 28 days).Solid Waste and Recycling Collection Bylaw No. 455, 2013, consolidated to Bylaw 657, s. 28; Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 385, 2006, Schedule A, Schedule A, Waste Collection Bylaw No. 455 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingBeehives must be protected by an electric fence or otherwise be made inaccessible Beehives unprotected from dangerous wildlife $150 $120 $180 |
| Other livestock | Not allowed. Livestock (cattle, goats, horses, sheep, swine) may not run at large, and zoning prohibits animal husbandry and keeping animals other than household pets. The Animal Control Bylaw bars keeping any animal other than a pet, apart from parades, shows and passing through.Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014, s. 6.2, 10.1, 10.2; Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017, s. 4.3.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingNo person shall permit any livestock to be running at large in the Village. other than a pet unless permitted under sections 10.2 of this Bylaw; an animal participating in or forming part of any lawful parade, circus, show or and the keeping of animals, except that household pets, other than poultry, may be kept; |
| Bylaw | Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (s. 4.3.3); Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No 461, 2014 (Parts 6 and 10); Solid Waste and Recycling Collection Bylaw No. 455, 2013 (s. 28, beehives).Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017, s. 1.1; Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014, s. 1.1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08Official wordingThis bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “Zoning and Development Bylaw No.520, 2017". This Bylaw may be cited as “Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No 461, 2014” |
How it works
The Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520 (s. 4.3.3) prohibits, in all zones, animal husbandry, including the keeping of poultry. Only household pets other than poultry may be kept. That means no hens and no roosters, and the bylaws offer no permit or exception. Ducks are not named, and the bylaws do not define poultry, so ask the Village before assuming they are allowed.
Good to know
- Other livestock: not allowed. Cattle, goats, horses, sheep and swine may not run at large, and the Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461 bars keeping any animal other than a pet, apart from parades, shows and passing through.
- Bees: the zoning bylaw does not name beekeeping, and it does not say whether bees count as animal husbandry. The one rule found is in the Solid Waste and Recycling Collection Bylaw No. 455 (s. 28): beehives must be protected by an electric fence or otherwise made inaccessible to wildlife.
- An unprotected beehive is a $150 bylaw notice ($120 if paid within 14 days, $180 after 28 days).
- To ask about bees or ducks, call Bylaw Services at 604-834-3404 or email bylaw@lionsbay.ca.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
West Vancouver · Bowen Island · District of North Vancouver · North Vancouver · Gibsons · Squamish
Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Zoning and Development Bylaw No. 520, 2017 (PDF), Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
- Animal Control and Licencing Bylaw No. 461, 2014 (PDF), Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
- Solid Waste and Recycling Collection Bylaw No. 455, 2013, consolidated to Bylaw 657 (PDF), Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
- Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 385, 2006, Schedule A (PDF), Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
- Bylaw Enforcement, Village of Lions Bay (read 2026-11-08)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 6 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 is recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. How answers are checked.