Keeping of Animals

The City of Armstrong Council recognizes the important roll that animals play in our lives while maintaining animals protection, the quality of life for its citizens, endeavours to promote civic responsibility, and strives to encourage good relationships between neighbours. The City of Armstrong is authorized to regulate the keeping of animals by the Community Charter by prohibiting and imposing requirements in relation to nuisances, disturbances and other objectionable conditions by a bylaw.

The Regulation and Keeping of Animals

The City of Armstrong’s bylaws set standards, boundaries, acceptable conduct, and values based on the Community Charter and needs of the City. Bylaw Officers investigate complaints received from the public. These include Regulatory Bylaws such as Dog Care Control, Good Neighbor, Zoning.

Keeping of Chickens & Chicken Coops

As part of City efforts to allow residents to get involved in their own urban food production, you can now keep chickens in your backyard on single family urban area lots that are more than 600m2. There are several important rules you will need to comply with in order to keep a backyard chicken coop from being a nuisance for your neighbours, including:

– A maximum of 6 hens per lot, on lots greater than 600m2 but less than 2 Acres.
– Roosters are not allowed in Residential lots.
– Ducks, turkeys, or other fowl other than hens are not allowed on Residential lots
– Eggs, meat, or manure cannot be used for commercial purposes.
– Slaughtering of chickens on the property is not allowed.

For more information on how to be a responsible keeper of Chicken and Chicken Coops, please review the information below:

Keeping of Bees & Bee Hives

As part of City efforts to allow residents to get involved in their own urban food production, you can now keep honeybees in your backyard on single family urban area Lots that are more than 600m2. There are several important rules you will need to comply with to keep a backyard hive from being a nuisance for your neighbours, including:

– A maximum of 3 hives or nuc’s per lot, on lots greater than 600m2 but less than 2 Acres.
– Honey may not be sold for commercial purposes.

For more information on how to be a responsible keeper of Bees and Bee Hives, please review the information below:

Keeping of Companion Animals (excluding dogs)

Companion Animal pertains to any species of cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, rodents, birds, and reptiles (Not Dogs) residing within a premise as part of the household but does not include animals regulated under the Wildlife Act.

No companion animals will become a nuisance animal to neighbours. If the City of Armstrong receives complaints, the owner of the companion animal may be subject to enforcement actions.

Keeping of Livestock

Livestock pertains to cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine, rabbits, fish, farmed game, poultry, domesticated fowl, or exotic animals as prescribed by the Minister responsible for the administration of the Farm Practices Protection (Right to Farm) Act.

Please Note:

The Current fillable form below is currently not working. If you need to contact the city please email us directly: info@cityofarmstrong.bc.ca

How do I learn more?

Whether you are interest in learning more about the process or already keeping chickens or bees in your backyard, we encourage you to contact us to learn more.

The City of Armstrong Staff are eager to do our part to assist you throughout the process.

How do I file a complaint?

Complaints are received on a 24 hour basis; however, if the matter is urgent and outside regular City Hall office hours (M-F 8:30-4:30) please call the office to be connected to a person.

Anonymous complaints will not be accepted.

All complainants must provide complete information according to this form.
The City of Armstrong’s priority is to protect all Complainants’ information. Information is not released for the following reasons:
– It is an unreasonable invasion of personal privacy as identified in the Freedom of Information, Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) Legislation.
– It is supplied in confidence in relation to the complainant.
– It is detrimental to a bylaw enforcement investigation and or its outcomes.
– It would reveal the identity of a confidential source of bylaw enforcement information.