Fireworks

Here are the rules for Fireworks in Toronto

The Fireworks Bylaw regulates the use and sale of fireworks in Toronto.

Fireworks are only permitted on your private property on Victoria Day and Canada Day until 11 p.m.  A permit is required to set off fireworks on all other days.

Fireworks are banned in City parks and on beaches. Do not set off fireworks in a street, a parking lot, on balconies or any private property that is not your own.

Contact 311 to report the use of fireworks in a City park or beach, illegal sale and possible misuse of fireworks.

You are only allowed to use consumer fireworks on your private property two days a year. Consumer fireworks include low hazard fireworks for recreation, such as fireworks showers, fountains, golden rain, lawn lights, pinwheels, Roman candles, volcanoes, sparklers, and other similar devices.

You can set off consumer fireworks on your own private property until 11 p.m. on:

• Victoria Day
• Canada Day (July 1)

 

Here is what really happens, at least around where we live, and I can imagine it happens in a lot of other areas as well. Fireworks are set off in parks, parking lots, on the street and even off balconies, and they are set off at all times of day and night and from noon until anytime in the middle of the night, like 3am or 5am fireworks are being set off. The fireworks are also set off not just on those two specific days as they are set off on New Year’s Eve, and any other day that someone thinks fireworks are needed.

The bylaw clearly starts that fireworks must be set in a bucket with sand, but that doesn’t happen, at least around us. People simply place the fireworks on the ground and light them, and if they fall over, it doesn’t seem to matter to the people setting them off. Also, in some cases people are actually holding the fireworks in their hand and setting them off, which is extremely dangerous.

The City of Brampton has now passed a bylaw that you can no longer set off or sell fireworks in the City of Brampton. It is going to be interesting to see how that works, but it would be nice to have it here in Toronto as well.

An idea to help control fireworks

• To purchase any fireworks, you must provide proof of owning the property, photo identification.
• No cash sales, (debit or credit only)
• If you are caught selling to minors, there is a big fine.
• You must live within the area of where you are buying the fireworks and own the property.
• Sellers must display regional approval to sell fireworks, so better control on who actually sells the items, not just something in a truck on the side of the road.
• If you don’t see a permit, call the local bylaw enforcement to question if this business is allowed to sell fireworks.
• Sales of fireworks should only be sold the day of and the seven days immediately before the specified allowed dates.

Fireworks are nice to see, but it is very important that they are set off properly and are complying with the bylaws of the area that you are in. So, when it’s time to see some fireworks, why not make it easy on yourself and just go to a place where they are being set off by professionals and enjoy them. Fireworks are nice to see, but being woken up in the middle of the night isn’t fun, and not everyone enjoys hearing them.