Port Hardy backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Port Hardy?

Port Hardy, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-08

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.

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.Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.25.2 (a) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 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
Most hens	Up to 4 hens on parcels of 450 m² or less; up to 6 hens on parcels over 450 m².Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.25.2 (b)(1), (2) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 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
Roosters	No. Roosters, cocks and cockerels are not permitted.Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.25.2 (b)(3) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording No roosters, cocks or cockerels are permitted;
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.Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.25.2 (b)(4) to (6) · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 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
Permit or registration	No permit is required. Urban Hen applications are voluntary but encouraged so the District knows about the hens.Urban Agriculture, Urban Hens · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording Urban Hen Applications are voluntary.
Bees	Only mason bees are permitted, in any zone. Keeping other bees is a prohibited use of land.Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.2 (a), 3.25.3 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 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.
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.Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 3.2 (b); Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023, s. 2.1, 11.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 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 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
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.Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025, s. 1 title; Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023, s. 11 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08 Official wording District of Port Hardy Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013 Regulations for the Keeping of Livestock

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

Check your parcel's zone and size with the District Office, 250-949-6665.
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.
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

The same question in other places

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Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality →

Sources

Zoning Bylaw No. 1010-2013, consolidated December 2025 (PDF), District of Port Hardy (read 2026-11-08)
Animal Care and Control Bylaw No. 11-2012, consolidated March 2023 (PDF), District of Port Hardy (read 2026-11-08)
User Rates and Fees Bylaw No. 1187-2026 (PDF), District of Port Hardy (read 2026-11-08)
Municipal Ticket Information System Bylaw No. 01-2010, consolidated August 2014 (PDF), District of Port Hardy (read 2026-11-08)
Urban Agriculture, District of Port Hardy (read 2026-11-08)
Contact Us, District of Port Hardy (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. How answers are checked.