No. In order to maintain the integrity of the Animal Control Bylaw, exemptions are not possible at this time.

Strathcona County has a duty to uphold its bylaws, for the greater good of the community.    

Information on the Bylaw Enforcement Process.

The Animal Control Bylaw was reviewed as part of the Urban Agriculture Strategy development in 2016.

The strategy’s action areas are being implemented in priority of greatest interest to residents. Community gardens and urban chickens were completed first.

Throughout the Urban Agriculture Strategy development, we ensured there was conversation and engagement on livestock and other animals as pets in urban areas.  This was a polarizing topic with both support and concern.

Resident feedback has informed the recommendations on urban livestock. Following significant public engagement, Strathcona County reviewed local impacts of an urban chicken pilot program in May 2017. It was determined an urban chicken program is not suitable for the needs of our specialized community.

All other animals and livestock were part of the research and consideration on a proposed new Alternative Pets Bylaw. It was determined that rather than developing a new bylaw, amendments if required could be made to the Animal Control Bylaw. Recommendations were presented at the November 13, 2018 Priorities Committee meeting.

No. In May 2017, Strathcona County completed a review of local impacts of an urban chicken pilot program and determined it is not suitable for the needs of our specialized community.

Backyard urban chickens was a polarizing topic during Urban Agriculture Strategy public engagement, and we therefore explored the feasibility of an urban chicken pilot project.

Strathcona County is unique in that it has about a dozen large scale poultry producers within a 10 kilometre radius of our urban areas, including the rural hamlets and Sherwood Park. We had to consider the implications of urban chickens on our rural producers.

Lot size, housing and population density, and distance from neighbours are all factors in livestock health. A review of urban chicken programs in other municipalities shows some programs had been disbanded due to pests, complaints, and lack of registration.

While we will not be introducing chickens into our urban areas, residents can get local eggs from the acreages and farms in our rural areas.

No.

No. Backyard bees were not recommended in the Urban Agriculture Strategy; however, planned actions include demonstration beehives operated by professional beekeepers in low traffic urban areas.

Concern for competition of honey bees with native pollinators and disease spread from managed to wild bees, especially in urban areas, are some reasons why backyard bees are not recommended in urban areas.

No.

Following the review of urban chickens, the County conducted research and analysis of provincial and federal legislation regulating livestock species in order to examine the need for an alternative pets bylaw.

Significant research was required. Considerations included a review of regulations, as well as prohibitions on animal species and breeds, based on size, potential safety threat if an animal escapes, level of noise and amount of waste an animal produces, and potential threat to commercial agriculture.
 

The review of provincial and federal regulations indicated that Alberta remains one of the most well regulated provinces in Canada. It was determined that rather than developing a new bylaw, amendments if required could be made to the existing Animal Control Bylaw.