The City of Fort St. john is exploring the next step toward allowing residents to keep backyard chickens.
Councillor Jim Lequiere introduced a notice of motion to city staff during the latest meeting of council.
Ryan Harvey, the city’s communication manager, said staff have begun researching options for a backyard chicken bylaw.
Harvey said the city previously could not find a care provider for injured or abandoned birds. Back in July, city staff noted that the BC SPCA is not an option because they have very little desire to enter that business.
Harvey said the city is looking for alternative options but have found none so far.
He added that the city does not want to create new issues by introducing a bylaw of this kind. City staff said Backyard chickens usually attract new predators, like coyotes or foxes, and create neighbour-to-neighbour issues, like smell or noise.
Harvey said there’s a lot to consider before introducing a new bylaw, so no timeline has been set for a decision.
He said the city recognizes the interest of residents in backyard chickens and aims to find a workable solution.