INNISFAIL – The town’s great urban chicken caper is flapping its weary wings towards another citizen’s vote in next year’s general municipal election.
Administration has been directed by council to draft a report with a question on whether the town should establish an urban hen pilot project. Council will be presented with that report later this month.
However, the bigger question already on some councillors' minds is whether the issue will be through a referendum or a plebiscite.
Council was told at its regular meeting on Oct. 13 that the results through a referendum would be binding, with the new council legally mandated to follow the direction of the vote. It is, as CAO Todd Becker noted, a “promise” to the municipality. A plebiscite vote puts the decision back into the hands of town council, which could in its new mandate agree to folllow the will of the people, or conversely, ignore the vote result.
Coun. Don Harrison -- who resurrected the controversial issue last summer following a citizen’s letter that wanted the town to bring in an urban chicken program -- said it’s imperative the town put the question to citizens, with the result binding on the new council.
“What stops us from overturning the plebiscite? Nothing. Because it’s not legally binding. Where with a referendum it is once and for all, and it is legally binding,” said Harrison. “If it’s yes you go to the next step. If it’s no then it’s a dead issue.”
The contentious urban chicken issue was previously turfed by town council in a shocking 2018 decision that followed a comprehensive public engagement initiative, which included a survey with 627 local participants. From that total, 411 (66 per cent) were in favour of allowing pet chickens in the community against 204 (32 per cent) who said no. As the survey was not legally binding, council opted by a vote of 5 - 2 to reject an urban chicken program.
Coun. Jean Barclay, who also favours a referendum process for a second look at the issue, said there was an important education piece to take back to the people for the second time.
She said citizens should know exactly what to expect from a pilot project, including the number of licences that would be available, what the overall bylaw would look like and what the expectations would be on citizens wanting to have urban hens, including their proper care, and what citizens must do to ensure their chickens would not be a nuisance to neighbours.
“There is a lot of criteria that people need to meet in order to have urban hens in their yard. I think if people were more aware of that they may look upon that a lot more favourably,” said Barclay, who agreed a referendum process would hold elected officials accountable to the will of the people. “We have talked about listening to our citizens, engaging our citizens and so if we are going to do that let’s do what they ask us to do whatever that outcome may be.”
Mayor Jim Romane said he is leaning towards a referendum question, as it would make it “easier for council to do it” but he would still like some sort of legislative control. He did, however, concede a plebiscite did leave the “real possibility” for elected officials not to follow through with voters’ wishes.
“But I think (elected officials) would have to explain it to their electorates on why they chose not to go along with the plebiscite,” said Romane. “They would be held just as accountable. They are still going to be questioned. What do you mean? The plebiscite said, ‘do it, do it.'”
While most councillors appeared to be willing to look at what administration will bring back to them this month, Coun. Glen Carritt remains vehemently opposed to having an urban chicken program, despite the overwhelming evidence presented to council in a comprehensive 78-page report by Vanessa Connors, the town’s legislative executive assistant. Her report showed that similar municipal programs across the province have proved immensely successful, with few problems.
“I am still strongly opposed to having chickens in town. Having one letter in support, to me doesn’t create an appetite for chickens,” said Carritt. “I think we have done this at length. I am not prepared to go down this road again.”
