{"title":"Squamish backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Squamish?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/squamish","name":"Squamish","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 Squamish","url":"https://squamish.ca"},"short_answer":"A Squamish resident may keep up to five urban hens on the residential lot where they live. Roosters are prohibited. Check the District’s hen-keeping guide before building the coop.","aliases":[],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Municipal Hall","value":"604-892-5217"}],"documents":[],"forms":[],"related":[{"slug":"home-based-business","title":"Squamish home-based business rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/home-based-business/"},{"slug":"zoning-lookup","title":"Squamish zoning: find your zone and what it allows","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/zoning-lookup/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/lions-bay","name":"Lions Bay","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/bowen-island","name":"Bowen Island","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/west-vancouver","name":"West Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/gibsons","name":"Gibsons","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver-district","name":"District of North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/north-vancouver","name":"North Vancouver","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/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":"A resident may keep up to five hens per parcel if they cause no neighbourhood health, environmental or nuisance problems. Universities have a separate educational exception.","short":"Yes, up to five hens per parcel","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/103402/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2124, 2009 (PDF)","section":"Section 42, keeping of urban hens","quotes":["The keeping of up to five (5) Hens is permitted provided that no neighbourhood health, environmental or nuisance problems result. Universities are not restricted to the number of hens for educational purposes.","42.      A person who keeps one (1) or more Hens, up to a maximum of five (5), must: (a)       be a resident of the property where the Hens are kept; (b)       keep no more than five (5) Hens on any parcel of land despite the number of permissible dwelling units on that parcel;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":"A Squamish resident may keep up to five urban hens on the residential lot where they live.","short":"Five hens","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.ca/assets/Uploads/chicken-Brochure.pdf","title":"Steps to keeping hens (PDF)","section":"PDF p. 1","quotes":["Residents on a residential lot within the District of Squamish are permitted up to a maximum of five (5) urban hens and must be a resident of the property where the urban hens are kept."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":"Roosters are prohibited.","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.ca/assets/Uploads/chicken-Brochure.pdf","title":"Steps to keeping hens (PDF)","section":"PDF p. 1","quotes":["• No roosters are permitted"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":"Enclose the coop area with an electric fence to protect against wildlife.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.ca/assets/Uploads/chicken-Brochure.pdf","title":"Steps to keeping hens (PDF)","section":"Keeping urban hens, precautions","quotes":["Precautions must be taken to avoid attracting wildlife such as bears, coyotes, cougars and wolves. Coop areas must be enclosed by an electric fence. All urban hens are required to be registered."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":"Register the hens with the District.","short":"Yes, register with the District","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.ca/assets/Uploads/chicken-Brochure.pdf","title":"Steps to keeping hens (PDF)","section":"PDF p. 1","quotes":["All urban hens are required to be registered. Visit squamish.ca/urbanhens to access the registry application."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":"Resident beekeepers may keep two hives below 929 m², four above 929 and below 1,394 m², or six above 1,394 m². The bylaw uses strict inequalities. Confirm the limit at either exact boundary. Hives must be in a backyard with a continuous 1.8 m fence.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/103402/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2124, 2009 (PDF)","section":"Section 43(a)–(c), urban bees","quotes":["43.      A person who keeps Urban Bees must: (a)    keep no more than; (i)    two (2) Beehives on any parcel of land under 929 square metres (10,000 square feet) in size despite the number of dwelling units permissible on that parcel; (ii)   four (4) Beehives on any parcel of land over 929 square metres (10,000 square feet) in size and under 1394 square metres (15,000 square metres) in size despite the number of dwelling units permissible on that parcel; (iii)  six (6) Beehives on any parcel of land over 1394 square metres (15,000 square feet) in size despite the number of dwelling units permissible on that parcel; (b)       be a resident of the property where the Bees are kept; (c)       ensure that the Beehives are situated in a back yard only which has a continuous fence that is 1.8 metres in height so as to ensure an appropriate flight path for Bees;"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":null,"status":"unknown","reason":"not_found","note":"Checked Steps to keeping hens, Zoning Bylaw No. 2200, 2011, consolidated September 2026, Animal Control Bylaw No. 2124, 2009; not found there.","sources":[]},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"District of Squamish Animal Control Bylaw No. 2124, 2009, as amended for urban hens.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/103402/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2124, 2009 (PDF)","section":"Sections 1 and 42, keeping of urban hens","quotes":["1.       This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the “District of Squamish Animal Control Bylaw No. 2124, 2009","The keeping of up to five (5) Hens is permitted provided that no neighbourhood health, environmental or nuisance problems result. Universities are not restricted to the number of hens for educational purposes."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-09"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":7,"matched":7,"none":0,"unknown":1},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nStart with the property, then plan the flock and the enclosure. The number of birds is only one part of the decision. How the bylaw describes the lot, the type of bird and the location of the coop can all affect a proposal. Enclose the coop area with an electric fence to protect against wildlife.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Check the rules for your flock in [Steps to keeping hens (PDF)](https://squamish.ca/assets/Uploads/chicken-Brochure.pdf). Find the property's zone and draw the proposed coop and run in relation to the home, neighbouring lots and street.\n2. Identify the number, age and type of birds you plan to keep. Compare those details with the limits below before buying birds or materials.\n3. Register the hens with the District.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- A resident may keep up to five hens per parcel if they cause no neighbourhood health, environmental or nuisance problems. Universities have a separate educational exception.\n- Resident beekeepers may keep two hives below 929 m², four above 929 and below 1,394 m², or six above 1,394 m². The bylaw uses strict inequalities. Confirm the limit at either exact boundary. Hives must be in a backyard with a continuous 1.8 m fence.\n- For bees or another species, ask about that species by name. A provision covering laying hens does not establish permission to keep every type of poultry or livestock.\n- For a question about the proposed number of birds, lot size and coop location, call the Municipal Hall at 604-892-5217.\n- Read the applicable provisions in [Animal Control Bylaw No. 2124, 2009 (PDF)](https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/103402/).","sources":[{"url":"https://squamish.ca/assets/Uploads/chicken-Brochure.pdf","title":"Steps to keeping hens (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://squamish.ca/building-and-land-development/building-permit/faq-building-permit/","title":"FAQ - Building Permit","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://squamish.civicweb.net/document/103402/","title":"Animal Control Bylaw No. 2124, 2009 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-09"},{"url":"https://squamish.ca/about/contact-and-feedback/","title":"Squamish municipal office contact information","accessed":"2026-11-09"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-09","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 7 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/squamish/backyard-chickens.json"}}