Fireworks ban – sale and discharge?

[Steve Fowlds]

Has anyone implemented a ban on fireworks for the upcoming Victoria day long weekend?   If so, how did you stop retailers from selling the product  (Orders?).  Our bylaw only issues permits to vendors selling from trucks (suspended as not essential for the moment), brick and mortar retailers are fine as long as they follow ERD rules.

Thoughts?

 

 

[John Wilson]

Our bylaw prohibits the discharge of fireworks at all times without first receiving a permit from us. It doesn’t have provisions for us to stop the sale of ‘regular’ consumer grade fireworks. Firecrackers, a bunch of specific odd devices I’ve never heard of and the ‘prohibited list’ from the Explosives Act are banned at all times.

[George Macris]

Hi Steve,

I would assume your concern of selling fireworks would be the social distancing issues, I can’t think of anything else. The FPPA interprets fire safety basically: if a potential fire or carbon monoxide can seriously endanger the safety of any person. The issuance of an Order will need to contain info regarding fire and/or CO safety.  I don’t think there is any way you can issue an Order to stop the sales of fireworks. If you have a fireworks permit process it would be reasonable to say that the fire safety aspect is looked after. If your By-law does not contain any provisions where the Chief can refuse a firewoks permit, I don’t believe you can ban it. If your By-law is silent about brick and mortar retailers there is nothing you can do to prevent them from selling and using.

 

[John Wilson]

I imagine that the concern is that if people can buy fireworks, then they will set them off and not think twice about it or the resulting potential for grass fires. The “I shouldn’t be able to buy them if I can’t use them” mentality. I have yet to hear of an FD tasked with enforcing social distancing – if there is, I’d like to hear about it.

I just looked at our bylaw again. It’s citing FPPA 7.1(1) and Municipal Act Section 120 & 121. as the authority. MA 121 specifically speaks to the sale and setting off of fireworks. I see in the Pickering bylaw that the sale is limited to the week before Victoria Day and week before Canada Day – we don’t have those clauses in ours – they can be sold any time here.

I wonder if a bylaw could be amended to include a simple statement prohibiting sale and/or discharge any time there is a burn ban in place?

[Len Papp]

Steve,

We have banned the sale of fireworks in St. Catharines.  We have a By-Law in place that requires a permit to sell consumer fireworks and to discharge display fireworks.  It’s trending now in social media.  Citizens can purchase fireworks from outside our City or online as I hear some of the fireworks providers are delivering.  I went on our local radio station yesterday and advised that we heavily recommend that you do not set off fireworks on your private property this Victoria day.  Our firefighters cannot social distance when responding to a call, plus fireworks draw large crowds.

 

[Author]

Posts