---
title: Tofino backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules
question: "Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Tofino?"
place: Tofino, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/tofino
category: Pets, animals and wildlife
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Tofino
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/backyard-chickens/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/backyard-chickens.json"
---

# Tofino backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules

**Question:** Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Tofino?

**Short answer:** In Tofino, no bylaw we read says whether backyard hens or bees are allowed, or sets a limit. If you keep chickens or bees, the Wildlife Attractant Bylaw requires them to be enclosed by electric fencing built to WildSafeBC guidelines. Ask the District about zoning first.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Tofino, https://tofino.ca)  
**Cost:** not stated in the bylaws we read  
**How long:** not applicable  
**Where:**
- Phone: Planning Services (Municipal Office), 250-725-3229 (Ask what your zone allows)

## Key facts

- **Hens allowed:** Not confirmed. Not found in the official sources that were read.
- **Most hens:** None set. No Tofino bylaw read sets a hen limit, rooster rule, or permit or registration.
- **Roosters:** None set. No Tofino bylaw read sets a hen limit, rooster rule, or permit or registration.
- **Coop rules:** Chickens, coops and pens must be kept reasonably inaccessible to dangerous wildlife, and coops and pens must be enclosed by electric fencing built to WildSafeBC guidelines.
  - Source: [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1317, 2022, s. 4(2)(k), (l)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/154668/)
  - Official wording: "chickens, chicken coops, and Pens are kept in such a manner so that they are reasonably inaccessible to Dangerous Wildlife;" … "chicken coops and Pens are enclosed by electric fencing designed and maintained in accordance with the electric fencing guidelines of the WildSafeBC program"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Permit or registration:** None set. No Tofino bylaw read sets a hen limit, rooster rule, or permit or registration.
- **Bees:** The bylaws do not say whether beekeeping is allowed. Where bees and beehives are kept, they must not attract dangerous wildlife, must be reasonably inaccessible to it, and must be enclosed by electric fencing built to WildSafeBC guidelines.
  - Source: [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1317, 2022, s. 4(2)(h), (i), (j)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/154668/)
  - Official wording: "bees and beehives are kept in such a manner so that they are reasonably inaccessible to Dangerous Wildlife;" … "bees and beehives are enclosed by electric fencing designed and maintained in accordance with the electric fencing guidelines of the WildSafeBC program"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Other livestock:** Other animals are permitted only as the Zoning Bylaw allows. Small-scale agriculture is a secondary use in the rural A1 and A2 zones (lots of at least 2 acres and 2 hectares), among others. Large livestock are banned from parks, school yards and sidewalks.
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Regulation Bylaw No. 866, 2001 (consolidated), s. 6(b); s. 8(c)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/15/)
  - Official wording: "All other animals will be permitted in accordance with the District of Tofino Zoning bylaw." … "Large livestock are not allowed in or on any portion of the following areas:"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, Part 14 (A1 Small Holdings District), s. 14.2; s. 14.3](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
  - Official wording: "Small scale agricultural uses, but excluding intensive livestock feeding operations;" … "Each lot shall have a minimum area of 8094 square metres (2 acres)." … "Small scale agricultural operation, but excluding intensive agricultural operations;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** District of Tofino Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1317, 2022; Animal Control and Licensing Regulation Bylaw No. 866, 2001; Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997
  - Source: [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1317, 2022, title](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/154668/)
  - Official wording: "District of Tofino Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1317, 2022"
  - Source: [Animal Control and Licensing Regulation Bylaw No. 866, 2001 (consolidated), s. 1](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/15/)
  - Official wording: "District of Tofino Animal Control and Licensing Regulation Bylaw No. 866, 2001"
  - Source: [Zoning Bylaw No. 770, title](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)
  - Official wording: "Zoning Bylaw No. 770, 1997"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

No bylaw we read says whether hens are allowed or banned on a residential lot in Tofino, and none sets a hen limit, a rooster rule, or a permit or registration. The [Animal Control and Licensing Regulation Bylaw No. 866](<https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/15/>) says animals other than dogs and cats are permitted only as the [Zoning Bylaw No. 770](<https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/>) allows, and the Zoning Bylaw does not mention hens, chickens or poultry in its residential zones.

## Good to know

- Under the [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1317](<https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/154668/>), chickens, coops and pens must be kept reasonably inaccessible to dangerous wildlife, and coops and pens must be enclosed by electric fencing built to WildSafeBC guidelines.
- Bees and beehives must not attract dangerous wildlife, must be reasonably inaccessible to it, and must be enclosed by electric fencing built to WildSafeBC guidelines. The bylaws do not say whether beekeeping is allowed, and no hive limit or licence was found.
- Small-scale agriculture is a secondary use in the rural A1 and A2 zones (lots of at least 2 acres in A1 and 2 hectares in A2), among others. Rules for goats, horses or ducks in residential zones were not found.
- Roosters are listed as small livestock, and the animal bylaw bans animal noise that disturbs neighbours.
- Large livestock are banned from parks, school yards and sidewalks.
- Farm operations that meet the Right to Farm Act tests are exempt from most of the Wildlife Attractant Bylaw.
- The bylaw's offence fine is up to $50,000. No ticket amount was found.

## Official forms and pages

- [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1317 (PDF)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/154668/)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 770 (PDF)](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/)

## Related questions

- [How many dogs or cats you can keep in Tofino](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/how-many-pets.md)
- [Tofino zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/zoning-lookup.md)
- [Tofino noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/noise-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Backyard chicken rules in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Gold River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Port Alberni](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alberni/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Cumberland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cumberland/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Courtenay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/courtenay/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Comox](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/comox/backyard-chickens.md)
- [Tahsis](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/backyard-chickens.md)

## Sources

- [Wildlife Attractant Bylaw No. 1317, 2022 (PDF), District of Tofino](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/154668/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Animal Control and Licensing Regulation Bylaw No. 866, 2001 (consolidated) (PDF), District of Tofino](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/15/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Zoning Bylaw No. 770 (PDF), District of Tofino](https://tofino.civicweb.net/document/157800/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 3 are recorded as not set; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with District of Tofino. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tofino/backyard-chickens/_