Urban Agriculture Business Information Bundle

Relevant Legislation and Regulations

Urban agriculture can provide many benefits to cities, and producing fruits and vegetables within cities raises few concerns. However, raising animals within cities has the potential to create public health and nuisance issues. For that reason, some municipalities have chosen to enact livestock bylaws.

There are also a number of provincial and federal laws and regulations that govern agriculture in general, as listed below.

For Municipalities
OMAFRA's Urban Agriculture: Livestock and Poultry provides an overview of issues municipalities should be aware of when considering developing bylaws around keeping livestock or poultry. The City of Vancouver's Draft Guidelines: Keeping of Backyard Hens also provides helpful insights.

For examples of backyard poultry bylaws, see:

Farm Folk City Folk's partial list of backyard chicken bylaws in North American cities
Urban Chickens' list of municipal bylaws governing backyard chickens in the United States

For Urban Producers
Different municipalities have different regulations around urban agriculture, so be sure to review the relevant bylaws in your city. The Association of Municipalities of Ontario provides links to local governments across the province.

For regulations on selling what you produce, see "Selling Your Products".

For Agricultural Operations
If your operation is considered agricultural, there are also provincial and federal regulations to consider, including:

• The Agricultural Products Act
• The Environmental Protection Act
• The Fertilizers Act
• The Food and Drug Act
• Minimum Distance Separation
• The Nutrient Management Act
• The Pest Control Products Act
• The Pesticides Act
• The Plant Diseases Act
• The Plant Protection Act
• The Seeds Act
• The Weed Control Act (for further information, see OMAFRA's Weeds Act - Frequently Asked Questions)

FarmStart offers an overview of regulations governing small farms, while OMAFRA's Business Information Bundle for New Farmers has information on regulatory considerations.