--- title: Port Hardy backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Port Hardy?" place: Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada place_path: ca/bc/port-hardy category: Pets, animals and wildlife owner: municipal owner_body: District of Port Hardy sources_read: 2026-11-08 review: machine_checked canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/backyard-chickens/" json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/backyard-chickens.json" --- # Port Hardy backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules **Question:** Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Port Hardy? **Short answer:** In Port Hardy you may keep up to 4 hens (6 on parcels over 450 m²) in the R-1, R-1s, R-2 and RR-1 zones, and in some R-3 parcels. Roosters are banned. No permit is needed, and only mason bees are allowed. **Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Port Hardy, https://porthardy.ca) **Cost:** No permit or fee is required for urban hens; none is listed in the 2026 fee bylaw. Municipal ticket for breaking the hen rules: $100. **Where:** - Phone: District Office, 250-949-6665 - In person: District of Port Hardy Municipal Hall, 7360 Columbia St., Port Hardy, BC V0N 2P0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (excluding statutory holidays)) ## Key facts - **Hens allowed:** Yes. Urban hens are a permitted accessory use on parcels in the R-1, R-1s, R-2 and RR-1 zones, and in R-3 only on a parcel in a subdivision where each mobile home is on its own parcel. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.25.2 (a)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) - Official wording: "The keeping of Urban Hens is a permitted accessory use on parcels in the R-1, R-1s, R-2 and RR-1" … "Zones, and with respect to the R-3 Zone, on a parcel in a subdivision development in which each Mobile" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Most hens:** Up to 4 hens on parcels of 450 m² or less; up to 6 hens on parcels over 450 m². - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.25.2 (b)(1), (2)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) - Official wording: "Up to 4 urban hens are permitted on parcels that are less than or equal to 450 square metres" … "Up to 6 urban hens are permitted on parcels that are greater than 450 square metres" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Roosters:** No. Roosters, cocks and cockerels are not permitted. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.25.2 (b)(3)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) - Official wording: "No roosters, cocks or cockerels are permitted;" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Coop rules:** A hen house is required, with at least 0.37 m² per hen. Only one structure per parcel, no larger than 9.3 m² or 2.0 m high. It must meet accessory-building setbacks and, on a corner parcel, cannot be in the side exterior yard. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.25.2 (b)(4) to (6)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) - Official wording: "a minimum of 0.37 of a square metre (4 square feet) per urban hen" … "Only one structure for the purpose of housing urban hens is permitted on a parcel and it shall not" … "exceed 9.3 square metres (100 square feet) in area or 2.0 metres (6.5 feet) in height above grade" … "it shall not be located in the" … "side exterior yard" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Permit or registration:** No permit is required. Urban Hen applications are voluntary but encouraged so the District knows about the hens. - Source: [Urban Agriculture, Urban Hens](https://porthardy.ca/community/bylaws/urban-agriculture/) - Official wording: "Urban Hen Applications are voluntary." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Bees:** Only mason bees are permitted, in any zone. Keeping other bees is a prohibited use of land. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.2 (a), 3.25.3](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) - Official wording: "Keeping of bees, except mason bees which are permitted in any zone;" … "The keeping of mason bees is a permitted accessory use in all zones." - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Other livestock:** Livestock (rabbits, goats, sheep, swine, horses, cattle, meat or egg poultry) may be kept only where the zone permits agriculture, or for poultry, urban hens. Only the A-1 Airport and GH-1 General Holdings zones list Agriculture. Large livestock must be 60 m from a neighbour's dwelling. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.2 (b)](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) - Official wording: "Keeping of livestock, except on land where the applicable zone permits agriculture as a use" … "Keeping of livestock, except on land where the applicable zone permits agriculture as a use and in the case of poultry, where agriculture or the keeping of urban hens is a permitted use;" … "10.1 GH-1: General Holdings (a) The following principal uses are permitted: (1) Aggregate Extraction and Processing (2) Agriculture" - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023, s. 2.1, 11.2](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf) - Official wording: "Livestock Animals (Large) means, but is not limited to, dairy and beef cattle, bulls," … "No cows, horses or other large livestock shall be kept in the District within 60 metres" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 - **Bylaw:** District of Port Hardy Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, s. 3.25.2 (urban hens), s. 3.2 and 3.25.3 (bees, livestock); Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, s. 11 to 12. - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 1 title](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) - Official wording: "District of Port Hardy Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013" - Source: [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023, s. 11](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf) - Official wording: "Regulations for the Keeping of Livestock" - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 ## How it works The [Zoning Bylaw 1010-2013]() (section 3.25.2) allows urban hens as an accessory use on parcels in the R-1, R-1s, R-2 and RR-1 zones. In R-3 they are allowed only on a parcel in a subdivision where each mobile home is on its own parcel. No other zone allows urban hens. Port Hardy does not require a permit, but the District's [urban agriculture page]() says Urban Hen applications are voluntary and encouraged so the District knows about the hens. ## Steps 1. Check your parcel's zone and size with the District Office, 250-949-6665. 2. Keep no more than 4 hens on a parcel of 450 m² or less, or 6 on a parcel over 450 m². No roosters, cocks or cockerels. 3. Provide a hen house with at least 0.37 m² per hen. Only one structure per parcel, no larger than 9.3 m² or 2.0 m high. It must meet accessory-building setbacks and, on a corner parcel, cannot be in the side exterior yard. ## Good to know - Only mason bees are permitted, in any zone. Keeping other bees is a prohibited use of land. - Other livestock (rabbits, goats, sheep, swine, horses, cattle, and meat or egg poultry) may be kept only where the zone permits agriculture. Only the A-1 Airport and GH-1 General Holdings zones list Agriculture. Large livestock must be 60 m from a neighbour's dwelling. - Ducks and geese are small livestock under the [Animal Care and Control Bylaw 11-2012](), which also allows hobby-farm livestock in the appropriate zone. - Breaking the hen rules is a $100 municipal ticket ([Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw 01-2010]()). ## Official forms and pages - [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) - [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf) - [Urban Agriculture, District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/community/bylaws/urban-agriculture/) ## Related questions - [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Port Hardy](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/how-many-pets.md) - [Port Hardy zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/zoning-lookup.md) - [Port Hardy fence rules: permits and height limits](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/fence-rules.md) - [Port Hardy permits for decks, sheds, carports and garages](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/deck-shed-garage-permit.md) ## The same question elsewhere - [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md) - [Tahsis](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/backyard-chickens.md) - [Gold River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/backyard-chickens.md) - [Campbell River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/campbell-river/backyard-chickens.md) - [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/backyard-chickens.md) - [Tofino](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/backyard-chickens.md) - [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/backyard-chickens.md) ## Sources - [Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/1010-2013-Zoning-Bylaw-Consolidated-December-2025.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/11-2012-Animal-Care-and-Control-consolidated-March-2023.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [User Rates and Fees Bylaw No. 1187-2026 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/1187-2026-User-Rates-and-Fees-for-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 01-2010, consolidated August 2014 (PDF), District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/01-2010_mti_consolidated_august_2014.pdf) (read 2026-11-08) - [Urban Agriculture, District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/community/bylaws/urban-agriculture/) (read 2026-11-08) - [Contact Us, District of Port Hardy](https://porthardy.ca/contact-us/) (read 2026-11-08) _Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 8 of 8 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Port Hardy. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/backyard-chickens/_