{"title":"Valemount backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock in Valemount?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/valemount","name":"Valemount","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":"Village of Valemount","url":"https://valemount.ca"},"short_answer":"In Valemount, backyard hens and roosters are not allowed: the Animal Bylaw lists them as prohibited animals. Horses, goats, sheep, cows and similar animals are also banned unless the Zoning Bylaw allows them. The Village's bylaws say nothing about bees.","aliases":["backyard chickens valemount","keep hens valemount","livestock valemount","beekeeping valemount"],"cost":"No permit or registration exists for hens. Fine for keeping bovine species: $300 bylaw notice ($240 if paid within 14 days, $360 if paid late).","how_long":"Not applicable.","where":[{"type":"in_person","label":"Village Office","value":"735 Cranberry Lake Road, Valemount, BC V0E 2Z0","note":"Monday to Friday, 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., closed statutory holidays"},{"type":"phone","label":"Village Office (Bylaw Enforcement and Animal Control)","value":"250.566.4435"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"bylaw@valemount.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Bylaw No. 700, 2013 (PDF), Village of Valemount","url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/88487/"},{"title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/"},{"title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 698 (consolidated June 4, 2026) (PDF), Village of Valemount","url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/96801/"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in Valemount","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/how-many-pets/"},{"slug":"dog-licence","title":"Valemount dog licences: fees and how to get one","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/dog-licence/"},{"slug":"unsightly-property","title":"Valemount unsightly property rules and how to report","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/unsightly-property/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/clearwater","name":"Clearwater","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/wells","name":"Wells","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/wells/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/100-mile-house","name":"100 Mile House","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/barriere","name":"Barriere","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/williams-lake","name":"Williams Lake","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/quesnel","name":"Quesnel","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/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":"No general right to keep hens. The Animal Bylaw lists hens (with quail, pheasant, pigeon, duck, goose, turkey and rooster) as prohibited animals that no one may keep, except where another Village bylaw permits. The Zoning Bylaw allows agriculture only in the ENV zone and in RR1 on lots west of Highway 5.","short":"No, hens are prohibited animals","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/88487/","title":"Animal Bylaw No. 700, 2013 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"Schedule 8, item 21; s. 11.1","quotes":["All birds, domestic quail, pheasant, hen, pigeon, duck, goose turkey and rooster, except the budgie, cockatiel, lovebird, finch, and canary and other birds where in the Village of Valemount bylaw it is permissible.","Either on a temporary basis or permanent basis, any prohibited animal listed in Schedule B of this Bylaw."]},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 5.2 and 5.3 (permitted uses)","quotes":["Agriculture, permitted on lots lying west of Highway No. 5","Within the ENV - Environmental Zone, the following uses only shall be permitted:"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Valemount prohibits hens, so no hen limit, coop rules or registration are stated.","sources":[]},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":"Not allowed: roosters are on the Animal Bylaw list of prohibited animals.","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/88487/","title":"Animal Bylaw No. 700, 2013 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"Schedule 8, item 21; s. 11.1","quotes":["All birds, domestic quail, pheasant, hen, pigeon, duck, goose turkey and rooster, except the budgie, cockatiel, lovebird, finch, and canary and other birds where in the Village of Valemount bylaw it is permissible.","Either on a temporary basis or permanent basis, any prohibited animal listed in Schedule B of this Bylaw."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Valemount prohibits hens, so no hen limit, coop rules or registration are stated.","sources":[]},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Valemount prohibits hens, so no hen limit, coop rules or registration are stated.","sources":[]},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":null,"status":"none","note":"Valemount's Animal, Zoning and Good Neighbour bylaws have no beekeeping rules.","sources":[]},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"Bovine species (horse, donkey, swine, mule, llama, emu, ostrich, ass, sheep, goat, cow) may not be housed, pastured or kept in the Village unless the Zoning Bylaw makes an exception. Zoning allows agriculture only in ENV and in RR1 west of Highway 5.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/88487/","title":"Animal Bylaw No. 700, 2013 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 6.12 and Schedule A","quotes":["No person shall permit any bovine species to be housed, pastured or maintained on any land within the Village unless an exception is provided in the Village of Valemount Zoning Bylaw","\"Bovine Species\" means for the purpose of this bylaw a horse, donkey, swine, mule, llama, emu, ostrich, ass, sheep, goat, cow or other animal of the bovine species."]},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 5.3","quotes":["Agriculture, permitted on lots lying west of Highway No. 5"]},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/96801/","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 698 (consolidated June 4, 2026) (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"Schedule A, s. 6.12","quotes":["Bovine species 6.12 No $300.00 $240.00 $360.00 n/a"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Village of Valemount Animal Bylaw No. 700, 2013 (s. 6.12 and Schedule 8); Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/88487/","title":"Animal Bylaw No. 700, 2013 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"s. 1.1","quotes":["the \"Village of Valemount Animal Bylaw No. 700, 2013.\""]},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","section":"Notes","quotes":["Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 was adopted by the Village of Valemount Council on August 24, 2021 and became effective on that date."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":4,"matched":4,"none":4,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Animal Bylaw No. 700](<https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/88487/>) lists hens, roosters, quail, pheasant, pigeon, duck, goose and turkey as prohibited animals that no one may keep in Valemount, except where another Village bylaw permits. No Village bylaw was found that expressly allows backyard hens. Section 11.2 lists limited exceptions, such as vets, certain facilities, Wildlife Act permits and special events with written permission.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- No limit, coop rules or registration for hens are stated, because hens are prohibited.\n- Horses, donkeys, swine, mules, llamas, emus, ostriches, asses, sheep, goats and cows may not be housed, pastured or kept in the Village unless the [Zoning Bylaw No. 847](<https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/>) allows it. The Zoning Bylaw allows agriculture only in the ENV zone and in RR1 on lots west of Highway 5.\n- Horses may temporarily enter the Village for personal riding.\n- Beekeeping: the Animal, Zoning and Good Neighbour bylaws have no beekeeping rules. Ask the Village Office, 250.566.4435, before keeping bees.\n- Animals that normally live outdoors must have outdoor shelter.\n- Keeping bovine species is a $300 bylaw notice ($240 if paid within 14 days, $360 if paid late).","sources":[{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/88487/","title":"Animal Bylaw No. 700, 2013 (PDF), Village of Valemount","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/98099/","title":"Zoning Bylaw No. 847, 2021 (PDF), Village of Valemount","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://valemount.civicweb.net/document/96801/","title":"Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 698 (consolidated June 4, 2026) (PDF), Village of Valemount","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://valemount.ca/village-office/bylaws/animal-control/","title":"Animal Control, Village of Valemount","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 8 facts was matched to the official text; 4 are recorded as not set."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/valemount/backyard-chickens.json"}}