Greetings from Ottawa - backyard chicken bylaw

[Lyssa]

Hello!
I live in Ottawa. The current bylaw here prohibits the keeping of
backyard chickens. I am attempting to bring attention to this matter
and seeking other local citizens who want to see the bylaw amended so
it is legal to own backyard chickens.

I am looking to the recent approval by Vancouver Council to amend
their bylaw that once prohibited chickens to now allow them as
motivation.

I have written my mp ( didn't sound interested but was polite and
forwarded my letter to the Bylaw Chief). The Chief of Bylaws here
wrote back quickly but was quick to the point that it was not on their
agenda for 2010 and that any attempt at a study or community survey
regarding the matter would be at an incredible cost.
So .. I wrote a letter to the editor of one of our larger city
newspapers this morning. I was surprised when the letters editor
called me back and said he would run it in this weekend's paper.

I guess I'm seeking guidance from those who have been down this path.
How long did the process take for your city's amendment to go from
consideration to vote? Months, years?

I'm wondering how I can keep pushing this forward. I'm trying to find
out if Ottawa even has a food policy council and if so if they would
be supportive.

Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely

L.Rhodes

[Justin Tilson]

I would encourage you to look and search through past conversations as there has been plenty of conversation shared on this subject:

http://groups.google.com/group/chickens-in-vancouver/

cheers
Justin

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[Dane]

Lyssa,
I've been crusading for backyard hens in the City of Vancouver for a
long time now and attribute the change in attitude to the City Council
which was elected in 2008. In particular, Councillors Andrea Reimer
and Heather Deal worked to have the bylaw change placed on the Council
agenda. While the City of Vancouver has still not approved the bylaw
change, the local backyard hen movement is active with cooperative
feed and agricultural supply buying groups emerging in anticipation of
the change. Given our experience, I would encourage you to identify a
municipal councillor who will champion such a bylaw change in your
city. I should also mention that the support of a very progressive
food policy council was invaluable in the process. Urban agriculture
and food security have become so broadly popular that major (and not
so major) cities all over the continent are amending their bylaws to
allow backyard hens. While I would not be deterred by your bylaw
chief who needs to move with the times, I would plan on investing a
year or more in the process.
Dane Chauvel

[Lyssa Rhodes]

In today's Ottawa Citizen I have a letter to the editor posted linking to our petition and facebook group in hopes to generate more public interest and debate.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/opinion/letters/cracking+Ottawans/2679186/story.html

Gearing up now to try and tackle City Hall :)

Lyssa