Legalize Backyard Chickens in Toronto, Canada

To Toronto City Council:

Chickens have existed in cities since the dawn of time, and they still exist all over the world. Benefits to raising hens in the City of Toronto include:

1. Fresh, healthy, delicious eggs, free of pesticides and antibiotics.

2. Chickens eat table scrapes, reducing municipal solid waste.

3. Chickens produce a rich fertilizer by-product, high in nitrogen, eliminating the need for petrochemical fertilizers.

4. Educational - teaches children where our food comes from and demonstrates responsible pet ownership.

5. Great pets - Chickens are people-friendly. Their behaviour is interesting and entertaining.

6. Chickens eat bugs, reducing our backyard pest population.

We, the undersigned, citizens of the City of Toronto, urge Toronto City Council, to update the Toronto Municipal Code in order to permit the responsible keeping of backyard chickens.