UrbanHensTO Pilot Program

The UrbanHensTO pilot program allows residents to have hens in specific areas and wards of the City. If you are unsure of whether or not you are allowed to keep hens, please contact 311. Note: Ward 13 is NOT included in the pilot program.

Launched in March 2018, UrbanHensTO was set to expire on March 31, 2023. At its January 11 meeting, the Economic and Community Development Committee (ECDC) recommended extending the program until May 31, to provide reasonable time for the City to consult with additional stakeholders and prepare a staff report on the future of the program for the April ECDC meeting. The extension will require City Council approval at its February 7 meeting.

An online survey has been launched to reconnect with the public, learn more about residents’ thoughts on making the UrbanHensTO program permanent and city-wide, and invite additional comments on issues related to the program, such as nuisance, public health, food security, veterinarian care and animal welfare in Toronto. The deadline to submit comments is February 7. More information and the survey are available at toronto.ca/UrbanHensTO.

In 2022, staff recommended making the UrbanHensTO pilot program permanent and expanding it city-wide, based on the success of the program and after broad public consultations, which included collecting feedback through public opinion research, an online public survey, and stakeholder consultations. At its April 2022 meeting, City Council extended the pilot, added additional wards to the program and requested staff to report back at the beginning of 2023 on the proposed changes for a permanent program. Staff are now conducting additional consultations and will report back to the April meeting of the Economic and Community Development Committee.

If you have any questions about UrbanHensTO, please contact Dr. Esther Attard, Director, Toronto Animal Services at Esther.Attard@toronto.ca.