INNISFAIL – There will be a review of the Town of Innisfail’s Urban Hen Pilot Program to determine if the once controversial initiative should end altogether or go forward permanently.
The review plan by Erica Vickers, director of corporate services for the Town of Innisfail, was brought to town council’s Agenda & Priorities Meeting on Feb. 21. Council unanimously approved Vickers’ plan as information.
Vickers told council the two-year pilot program, which regulated the housing of hens by residents since spring of 2021, is scheduled to conclude on April 30.
“We are going to do a review of the program and bring those findings to council to see if council would like to make it a permanent program, or if the pilot project was enough and we're done,” said Erica Vickers, director of corporate services for the Town of Innisfail.
The pilot program was launched with a stipulation that the town would have a maximum of five licences for a minimum of two and a maximum of four hens at a cost of $65 each to approved residents.
Each hen household had to follow the town’s comprehensive pilot project policy to ensure the humane care of the hens.
As well, they each had to provide proof of approval from neighbours who had contiguous boundaries with the property where hens were being kept.
Council was told there are currently two licensed residents in town that have urban hens.
Vickers told council her plan includes sending a letter to licence holders advising them of the review and to give them an opportunity to provide their feedback about the program in writing.
The general public will also be asked to provide feedback.
The review will also include a complaints summary of the pilot program from the town’s municipal enforcement department, and a summary of other urban hen programs that are in place.
Council was advised by Vickers that since Jan. 1 the town has received six inquiries about the urban hen program, along with others for cats and dogs.
Vickers said if council ultimately decides not to go forward with a permanent program, the two current licence holders will have 90 days to find a new home for their chickens after May 1.
She said if council decides to bring in a permanent program, the current licence holders will simply be allowed to carry on with their hens.
“Once you're approved for a licence that won't get taken away. You would get to automatically renew your licence going forward and manage it year after year,” said Vickers.
However, in response to a query from Coun. Gavin Bates, she said an approved permanent program could be modified based on the results of the review and if council agrees with the need for some changes.
“I personally did have some complaints from the public and I think your review process will give them the opportunity to provide that feedback,” said Bates.
Coun. Don Harrison, who was instrumental with a past town council in bringing in the pilot program, applauded Vickers’ pilot program review strategy.
“It is a good roadmap, a good start. I think we need this information before we go any further, to understand what the program has done over the last couple of years,” said Harrison. “I think it's a good start.”
