City of Waterloo and City of Kitchener approve recommendations for stricter fireworks regulations

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City of Kitchener approves ban on sale of fireworks

City of Waterloo approves recommendations for stricter fireworks regulations

Both the City of Waterloo and the City of Kitchener will be drafting more restrictive rules for the use of fireworks.

Waterloo

City staff in Waterloo presented a series of recommendations to council Monday night. The recommendations included reducing the number of days fireworks were allowed to be set off, prohibiting the sale of fireworks within the city’s boundaries and increasing penalties for people flouting the rules.

Staff suggested restricting the days fireworks can be launched to the actual date of a holiday, such as Victoria Day or Canada Day, and a designated day for the Lunar New Year. The only exception noted in the report was Diwali, where two days would be permitted to account for difference in calendar dates due to time zones.

As it currently stands, fines for firework-related infractions are set at $400 for a first offence and $800 for a second infraction. Staff recommended increasing the fines to $1,000 for a first offence and $2,000 for subsequent issues.

The recommendations encouraged banning the sale of fireworks in Waterloo by January 2026.

“Over the last six years, my experience being on council, is that the disrespect of certain folks lighting off fireworks has increased significantly,” Councillor Royce Bodaly said. “That’s created a significant amount more complaints to me anyways. I can’t speak for all my council colleagues.”

However, not everyone was on board with the recommendations.

“I just don’t think it’s backed by strong data,” Councillor Hans Roach said. “I think its unfair to some of the residents. I think we can do this responsibly with proper enforcement. I don’t think that saying that it’s hard to enforce is a reason to not do it. I will not be supporting these recommendations.”

For one councillor the discussion was deeply personal.

On Canada Day 2024, Ward 7 Councillor Julie Wright was walking on Central Street when a man shot and hit her with a firework.

She said she and her family were headed home from a drone show in Waterloo Park when she saw the man with fireworks at MacGregor Public School. When she told him he couldn’t shoot off roman candles, he started firing them directly at her.

A 37-year-old man was later charged with assault and assault with a weapon.

“The elephant in the room, of course, is that I am one of the people that was affected last July after being shot in the face intentionally with fireworks. I strongly believe that we need some certainty and regulation around the use of fireworks,” Wright said.

She also mentioned the challenge police and bylaw officers face while trying to enforce the rules.

“The resources are tapped. We actually do need to use our regulatory muscle in order to enforce some of the rules around fireworks,” Wright said.

But she noted restrictions in Waterloo are just one part of the overall puzzle.

“I do think we’re going to have to work broadly across the region to determine what we can do together because obviously we can’t just be doing this work on our own. We need cooperation across the region. But limiting some of the supply and limiting some of the impulsive behaviour around the access to that supply is one step further that we can take.”

Ultimately, the motion to approve the three recommendations passed.

Staff will come back to council at a later date with an updated fireworks bylaw for approval.

Kitchener

A long list of delegates made their pitches to Kitchener Council Monday night over the ban of fireworks sales.

“I know there have been incidents, I know there have been complaints but eliminating responsible businesses like mine won’t prevent misuse of fireworks, it’ll only push it into the shadows where it is harder to manage and far more dangerous,” Priyam Vyas, owner of Pataka Fireworks, said.

Some argued that banning the sale of fireworks would only cause more harm.

“Banning the regulated sale of consumer fireworks won’t stop these bad actors,” delegate Greg Kasparian said. “It’ll simply penalize the families, businesses and individuals who do follow the rules.”

“In cities like Brampton and Caledon, there’s been an explosion of illegal fireworks sold door-to-door and out of car trucks, which frustrates residents because bans can’t be enforced,” added Tom Jacobs, owner of Rocket Fireworks Inc. “When you remove regulated legal sales, you don’t remove demand, you just lose control.”

Another delegate suggested the bylaw should require retailers to take a course on the safe sale and distribution of fireworks.

“The retailer needs to be educated first, do they even know what they’re selling? I think there needs to be a course in place,” delegate Lovedeep Grewal said. “Canada’s National Fireworks Association had implemented a course that you have to watch online then answer some questions and pass it. City of Mississauga has implemented it into their bylaw in order to get approved by a permit, you have to have that course completed.”

Others called the ban necessary.

“The problem isn’t the sale, the problem is the devices themselves. They need to leave this city,” delegate Audrey Heutzenroder said “My call is for a complete ban. I hope you do vote for a gradual outright ban on the sale and use of individual fireworks in our city.”

In the last few moments of the meeting, councillors made their final pitches before the vote, some of whom said they would support the sales ban and tighter restrictions.

“I see this as tapping the brakes instead of slamming them, we have heard from the community and they want to see action on this,” Councillor Scott Davey said.

“We’ve seen a councillor in Waterloo get attacked, we’ve heard two bylaw officers were fired upon, everyone has seen the recklessness we’ve seen in Victoria Park two years in a row,” Councillor Bill Ioannidis said. “For me, I feel like we have no choice but to go the route we’re going with the staff recommendation.”

Mayor Berry Vrbanovic made his stance clear, stating he would not support the ban which he believes would amount to government overreach.

“There’s no question that there are some roque actors who are quite frankly, behaving badly... but unfortunately I am not convinced that simply restricting the sale locally is going to stop that behaviour to be frank,” he said. " I didn’t support this at committee and I will not be supporting it again this evening."

Ultimately, the vote to ban fireworks sales in the city passed by a margin of 8-3. Councillors Stephanie Stretch and Dave Schnider were among those who voted down the ban.

The ban of sales won’t come into effect until 2026 but staff said other restrictions will take effect immediately.