Time to grow urban agriculture, Sudbury planners say

City planners are suggesting that Greater Sudbury should grow more of its food in urban areas including allowing backyard chicken coops.

It is just an idea at this point and something many other cities are considering but city Coun. Andr Rivest said right now his vote would be a no.

"You got houses that are worth a lot of dollars and you want to keep that," he said.

"You start having chickens in backyards ... I sense that wouldn't be well received."

But city planner Kris Longston said Sudbury's long-range plans should focus more on urban agriculture.

"What we're thinking of doing is moving to include a lot more focus on urban food production, community gardens, greenhouses, possibly looking at backyard chickens, to really increase the ability to produce food within the urban areas," he said.

Longston said Sudburians spend $270 million on food every year but only a fraction of that is grown locally.

City staff said it will report back to council with a more concrete proposal for expanding urban agriculture in Greater Sudbury.