After months of debate by city council, backyard fireworks will be totally banned under the city’s new fireworks bylaw.
Following the bylaw’s approval at Monday’s council meeting, fireworks will only be permitted through council-approved special events at this time — a move that departs significantly from city staff’s recommendation to permit residential fireworks on several holidays throughout the year.
The decision was sparked by the recommendation of Coun. Janet-Lynne Durnford, who gained the support of her peers in supporting a blanket ban on backyard fireworks, proposing that residents who wish to discharge fireworks may seek a permit through an existing process to do so in Couchiching Beach Park.
“I would propose that we consider a complete ban on fireworks in the city, other than through the permit process at Couchiching Beach Park,” she said. “That is not my personal opinion — I love fireworks, and I would love to have some leeway there — however, every bit of feedback that I've had from constituents is in favour of a ban for a number of reasons, primarily environmental and consideration for pets.”
In addition to the ban on backyard fireworks, the bylaw includes an inspection fee of $200 that can be imposed after investigating a complaint, as well as fees for the fire department extinguishing fires caused by fireworks.
Fireworks usage was previously governed by the city’s noise bylaw, which similarly prohibited noise disturbance in any residential area at any time or day of the year, but there were issues enforcing complaints under the bylaw, city staff previously reported.
As the noise bylaw was primarily enforced by Ontario Provincial Police on a reactive basis, investigations often found that all fireworks had been discharged by the time they arrived on the scene.
Moving forward, Durnford plans to bring forward an inquiry motion with Coun. Jay Fallis to add additional levels of permits for those who wish to set off fireworks in Couchiching Beach Park.
The existing permit currently requires rental of the entire park, a company to set off the fireworks, and a $2,000 permit, Durnford said.
“(We’re) hoping to bring forward an inquiry for the next meeting of council that would ask staff to prepare a report on the feasibility of having another level of fireworks permit that would allow people to set off fireworks … without having to pull a $2,000 permit to rent the entire park,” she said.
“Community groups for example, could pull a permit that would be less expensive, a little bit easier to acquire, and then they could have their own celebrations at that location that has been deemed to be safe.”
Council broadly agreed with Durnford’s idea, although both Fallis and Coun. Tim Lauer stressed adding “at this time” to the motion to allow council some wiggle room in revisiting the regulations at a later date.
“I do see it as an evolving question. I'm not positive we're gonna get this right the very first time, so I'll certainly look forward in the future to getting feedback and be able to amend it,” Lauer said.
“But I think the most important thing we can do today is to get the actual bylaw in place that addresses fireworks, specifically, as opposed to relying on … a noise bylaw that does not work.”
Council’s decision comes on the heels of a presentation from the Canadian National Fireworks Association on Monday, which urged council against implementing a total ban on recreational fireworks in the city, instead requesting regulation and proactive public education.
Aleem Kanji, the association’s chief advocacy officer, noted that fireworks are permitted in Barrie and broadly available for purchase, and he raised questions about the enforceability of a total ban.
“You're not an island, and people will buy the product elsewhere,” he said. “(Barrie is) going to keep things the way they are and they let people continue to use fireworks. That's a community very close to here where people could buy the fireworks and bring them right back up to this town.”
He mentioned the association offers a vendor certification and employee training program, which aims to help vendors responsibly sell the appropriate fireworks to customers; it also has a Be a Good Neighbour Program, which promotes the responsible and safe use of fireworks.
“When local retailers are selling, they can then educate the public as to how to use the products correctly,” Kanji said.
Regarding environmental and pet concerns, Kanji cited studies showing “there is no correlation” between fireworks usage and fine particulate matter impacting air quality, and recommended, as per the SPCA, that animals should simply be kept indoors to minimize distress resulting from fireworks.
Following the meeting, Kanji expressed disappointment in council’s decision.
“They will not be able to enforce this. Fireworks’ delinquent use is always reactionary — when bylaw gets a call … the offending party has left,” he said. “It is better to educate people on the proper rules, on how to use the 4,000 legal products that are allowed to be used across this country, and which will continue to be used in Orillia.”
Under the new regulations, the Canada Day fireworks, put on by the Orillia Canada Day Committee, will not need council approval, “as staff have delegated authority; however, any other event wishing to put on fireworks would be subject to council approval and would require a special event permit to discharge fireworks in a park,” said Melissa Gowanlock, the city’s manager of communications.
