Uxbridge taking another gander at backyard poultry

DARRYL KNIGHT The Standard

UXBRIDGE: Renewed interest from a local resident in raising backyard poultry prompted councillors to take another look at a 2021 staff report on the matter.

Included in the agenda for Council's June 26th meeting was a letter from local resident Rava Lee detailing a plan to add a small flock of ducks to her property, to be used for pest control and to provide a small amount of eggs.

Council voted to ask staff to repackage that original staff report so "council with this lens could look at it again," according to Mayor Dave Barton. Staff were also tasked with outlining what a pilot project for up to 25 licenses, for keeping backyard poultry in the municipality, might look like if the current zoning bylaw was amended.

Ward 1 Councillor Pam Beach and Ward 3 Councillor Zed Pickering both noted they have received recent requests from the constituents about the possibility of raising poultry in their backyards.

"I believe that since Covid, a lot more people are looking [to] be more sustainable for different reasons," commented Councillor Beach. "I don't believe that perhaps it would be something I'd like to see in the town proper, but for hamlets, and other places where there's enough room."

The original report drew on nearly 600 survey responses gathered in 2020. Township clerk Debbie Leroux added the original staff report was completed in October 2021, and saw the council of the day agree with the recommendation not to proceed at that time. Among the reasons for the decision was the prevalence of avian flu.

In her letter, Lee noted that allowing backyard poultry could provide crucial support in an area heavily dependent on car use and limited public transportation options for grocery shopping.