Beekeeping Bylaw

Category: Land Use

Bylaw Number: 6804

At the Special Meeting following the Public Hearing on October 27, 2009, Delta Council adopted Bylaw No. 6804 to amend "Delta Zoning Bylaw No. 2750, 1977" to permit beekeeping as an accessory use to single family and duplex dwellings and for educational purposes in Public (P) zones.

Prior to Council's adoption of Bylaw No. 6804, beekeeping was limited to zones that permit farming. The purpose of Bylaw No. 6804 is to allow hobby beekeeping at single family and duplex dwellings along with Public zones in Delta. Bees play a valuable role in food production and hobby beekeeping can contribute towards enriching and maintaining biodiversity as well as leading to more productive harvests of back yard and community gardens.

A number of requirements and regulations have been included in Bylaw No. 6804 for the purpose of managing the bees' flight path to reduce encounters between bees and neighbours or pedestrians. 

The Bee Act requires anyone who keeps bees or beehives or who practices beekeeping to register with the Beekeeper and Apiary Registration Program for British Columbia, administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. The Regional Apiculture Inspector for Metro Vancouver/Fraser Valley and the Provincial Apiculturalist have a working relationship with Metro Vancouver municipalities and are able to respond to nuisance complaints and complete inspections of bee colonies should they arise.

• View/Download a copy of Beekeeping Bylaw No. 6804 from www.deltaviews.com to learn more about this Bylaw, including the general provisions and requirements intended to manage the bees' flight path and regulations
• Read the September 22, 2009 Zoning Bylaw Amendment - Beekeeping Council Report.

For more information or questions relating to this bylaw,  please e-mail Community Planning & Development department or call (604) 946-3380.

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