{"title":"White Rock backyard chickens, bees and livestock rules","question":"Can I keep chickens, bees, or other livestock?","slug":"backyard-chickens","place":{"path":"ca/bc/white-rock","name":"White Rock","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":"City of White Rock","url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca"},"short_answer":"No. White Rock's Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw bans livestock, poultry (including hens, roosters, ducks and geese) and aviaries on any property. Bees are allowed under a 1992 bylaw, but only on lots zoned RS1 or RS4, which the 2024 Zoning Bylaw no longer uses.","aliases":["chickens white rock","beehive white rock","backyard hens white rock","livestock white rock"],"cost":null,"how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"604-541-2146"},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"bylaw@whiterockcity.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 1959 (PDF)","url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF"},{"title":"Bee Keeping Bylaw 1313 (PDF)","url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/4187/Bee-Keeping-Bylaw-1992-no-1313"}],"related":[{"slug":"how-many-pets","title":"How many dogs or cats you can keep in White Rock","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/how-many-pets/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/surrey","name":"Surrey","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/surrey/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langley","name":"Langley City","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/langley-township","name":"Township of Langley","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/langley-township/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/delta","name":"Delta","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/delta/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/burnaby","name":"Burnaby","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/burnaby/backyard-chickens/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-coquitlam","name":"Port Coquitlam","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-coquitlam/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. The Animal Control bylaw bans keeping livestock, poultry, an aviary or an apiary on any real property, except as permitted by the Bee Keeping Bylaw (which covers bees only). \"Poultry\" is defined to include chickens.","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"ss. 3, 45","quotes":["\"poultry\" means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl","any livestock, poultry, aviary, or apiary except as permitted pursuant to City of White Rock Bee Keeping"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"max_hens":{"label":"Most hens","value":"Not applicable: hens and other poultry are not allowed.","short":"Not allowed","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"ss. 3, 45","quotes":["“poultry” means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"roosters":{"label":"Roosters","value":"Not allowed. A rooster is a chicken, so the same poultry ban applies.","short":"No","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"ss. 3, 45","quotes":["\"poultry\" means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"coop_rules":{"label":"Coop rules","value":"Not applicable: hens and other poultry are not allowed.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"ss. 3, 45","quotes":["“poultry” means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"registration":{"label":"Permit or registration","value":"Not applicable: hens and other poultry are not allowed.","short":"Not allowed","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"ss. 3, 45","quotes":["“poultry” means any fowl including a chicken, turkey, duck, goose, swan or peafowl"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bees":{"label":"Bees","value":"Beekeeping is allowed under the 1992 Bee Keeping Bylaw: no more than two colonies per lot, hives only on lots zoned RS1 or RS4 (zone names predate the 2024 Zoning Bylaw), at least 15 feet from any property line.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/4187/Bee-Keeping-Bylaw-1992-no-1313","title":"Bee Keeping Bylaw 1992, No. 1313 (PDF)","section":"ss. 3-5","quotes":["No person shall keep more that two (2) colonies of bees on any lot.","locate a beehive within fifteen (15) feet of any property line;","Beehives shall only be permitted on a property that is zoned","No person shall locate a beehive on a property within twenty","multi-family dwelling other than a duplex.","No person shall keep more that two (2) colonies of bees on any","Beehives shall only be permitted on a property that is zoned RSl"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"other_livestock":{"label":"Other livestock","value":"Not allowed. Livestock (cattle, horses, donkeys, mules, llamas, ostrich, swine, sheep, goats) and poultry (including ducks and geese) may not be kept on any real property.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"ss. 3, 45","quotes":["\"livestock\" means cattle and other animals of the bovine species, horses, donkeys,","mules, llamas, ostrich, swine, sheep or goats;","any livestock, poultry, aviary, or apiary except as permitted pursuant to City of White Rock Bee Keeping"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw, 2012, No. 1959; White Rock Bee Keeping Bylaw, 1992, No. 1313","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited as \"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw, 2012, No. 1959.\""]},{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/4187/Bee-Keeping-Bylaw-1992-no-1313","title":"Bee Keeping Bylaw 1992, No. 1313 (PDF)","section":"s. 9","quotes":["White Rock Bee Keeping Bylaw, 1992, No. 1313"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":8,"stated":8,"matched":8,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe City of White Rock bans keeping livestock, poultry, an aviary or an apiary (beehive) on any real property, except as the Bee Keeping Bylaw permits. The [Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw](https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF) defines poultry to include chickens, so hens and roosters are not allowed, and no coop, permit or hen limit exists. Livestock means cattle, horses, donkeys, mules, llamas, ostrich, swine, sheep and goats. Ducks and geese count as poultry.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Bees: the [Bee Keeping Bylaw](https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/4187/Bee-Keeping-Bylaw-1992-no-1313) allows no more than two colonies per lot, hives only on lots zoned RS1 or RS4, and at least 15 feet from any property line.\n- Those zone names predate the 2024 Zoning Bylaw, which now has RS-1, RS-2 and RS-3 zones. Ask Bylaw Enforcement whether your lot qualifies.\n- Fines: keeping livestock or poultry is $150, then $250, then $500. A bee bylaw offence is $100 to $500 plus costs on conviction.\n- The newer wording of the Animal Control Bylaw also bans feeding or enticing wildlife.\n- Exotic animals are banned too. See the how many pets answer.\n- Questions: Bylaw Enforcement, 604-541-2146.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/271/Consolidated---Animal-Control-and-Licensing-Bylaw-2012-Number-1959-PDF","title":"Animal Control and Licensing Bylaw 2012, No. 1959 (consolidated April 2025) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/4187/Bee-Keeping-Bylaw-1992-no-1313","title":"Bee Keeping Bylaw 1992, No. 1313 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/376/Animal-Control","title":"Animal Control, City of White Rock","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.whiterockcity.ca/DocumentCenter/View/2072/Consolidated---Ticketing-for-Bylaw-Offences-2011-No-1929-PDF","title":"Ticketing for Bylaw Offences Bylaw 2011, No. 1929 (consolidated) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 8 of 8 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/backyard-chickens/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/backyard-chickens.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/white-rock/backyard-chickens.json"}}