The Editor, Why can't Richmond residents have the same rights as Vancouverites in regards to being able to keep backyard chickens?
The City of Richmond bylaw states that you're allowed to have chickens if your property is 2,000 square metres, which translates to about half an acre. Who can afford to own that much land in Richmond nowadays?
I don't see anything wrong with keeping chickens. Richmond claims to be involved in efforts to be more sustainable, and allowing its residents to keep backyard chickens should play a part in that.
There are many benefits for keeping backyard chickens. Chickens are green and sustainable, they can provide you with organic food (in the form of great tasting eggs), they can help control weed and pests from your yard.
I find them to be an excellent form of therapy to help de-stress from the day to day stresses of life.
Chickens would eat most of the greens that would normally go in your green bin container and their manure makes great fertilizer.
Why hasn't Richmond adopted a bylaw similar to the one Vancouver and North Vancouver have? City council should take action in amending our bylaw regarding backyard chickens?
As people get more aware and concerned about where their food is coming from, more people are going to be interested in keeping chickens in their backyards, if not as pets then as an organic food source.
It may well be the way of the future.
Lucia Cueva
Richmond
