For an idea that seemed to be sunny side up, Calgary city council has voted down a decision to establish a pilot project for urban henhouses.
In a 9-6 vote on Monday morning, council killed the project.
One of those who voted against it, Ward 13 councillor Diane Colley-Uruqhart, said that the concept was ‘embarassing’ to discuss given the current economic climate.
The Mayor and five councillors voted for the project including; Farrel, Jones, Carra, Wooley and Pincott.
Currently, hundreds of residents possess backyard chicken coops, but they’re all illegal.
Supporters had hoped that a pilot project, which had been rejected before in 2010 (11-3), could get off the ground.
Ward 3 councillor Jim Stevenson, who also voted against the motion on Monday, said on the weekend that there is a place for chicken coops in Calgary, but not within residential yards.
Paul Housley, who operates a henhouse in the backyard of his Calgary home, was fined back in 2014 but was allowed to keep his chickens pending Monday’s decision.
With the rejection of the idea, there is no more protection for Housley’s chickens.
The City of Edmonton and City of Red Deer both have urban henhouse projects in place, as well as Vancouver and Victoria.
