Orillia and Pickering First “Cage-Free” Cities in Ontario

December 22, 2008- The cities of Orillia and Pickering in Ontario have requested that all city-run facilities stop using eggs from hens reared in traditional cages. Councils also encouraged residents, including restaurants, caterers, retailers and wholesalers to switch to certified organic free-range eggs instead.

The move drew applause from Humane Society International/Canada (HSI Canada).

More than 350 universities and colleges in North America have reduced or eliminated their use of eggs from caged hens in campus food services. In British Columbia, more than a dozen cities have passed resolutions requesting the removal of eggs from caged hens from city menus, and the Union of B.C. Municipalities is currently considering a similar province-wide motion.